A Chance Encounter
by Recorder
Summary: After getting shot on the way home from work one day, a girl wakes to find herself in Hallow Bastion. With general knowledge of the events to come, can she keep her mouth shut long enough for the story to unfold in the way it was meant to, or will her unintentional meddling prove that one should not meddle in the affairs of other worlds?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

An average day in the Life of a Student with a Job  
or  
How my Perception of Reality Changed Forever

It was the wonderful point of the morning where you know that the alarm can't have possibly gone off yet, so you don't actually have to get out of bed and face the world. Being someone who hates doing the things, I rolled over and snuggled with the other person in my bed, one arm being held by him like a teddy bear, and my free hand loosely tangled in his hair.

Six snoozes later I conceded defeat and groggily rolled out of bed, eyes still closed. As usual I'm not the first one up. Luckily my 'wife' has my work clothes set aside for me already. After an awkward moment where I almost try to brush my teeth with my hair brush and forget to take my glasses off before washing my face, I'm heading out the door and across the street to my job as a cashier, kissing my boyfriend of nearly 6 years goodbye before clocking in with half a mountain dew in me, hoping the caffeine fixes what waking up only 25 minutes before my shift does to me.

It's near the end of the month, but it should still be busier then this. See, the grocery store I work at is kind of like Walmart, but without the whole feeling like you need to take a shower after shopping there thing. Oh, and lower prices. See, there have been 'terrorist' reports on the news, and lots of people have been either leaving or disappearing. Reports of 'monsters in black with yellow eyes' are being written off as scare tactics by the 'enemy' to frighten the general populace. We have been reassured that there is nothing to worry about. Besides, I live in Oregon. There's nothing to bomb here, no one important enough to be made a target of. Right?

After a boring 7.25 hours of ensuring that everyone 'found everything on your list?', I clock out and down my second mountain dew of the day. I have trig homework to do and I need the caffeine. Really. It's a little dark out, but it's literally a four-minute walk home, so I don't bother to call for my sweetie. I can walk myself home. Turning the first corner, I notice that the night is quiet. Too quiet. I look across the street and for the first time I can remember that isn't three in the morning, there is NO traffic. I wait a minute, expecting that I've simply noticed a lull and nothing happens. Weird.

Crossing the street towards the complex I hear something moving in the bushes that line our complex like so many other cookie-cutter apartments. I hesitate, really not wanting to bother what I assume is either a squirrel or a nutria. Then I hear the last thing any girl walking home from work ever wants to hear. "Hand over you money or I shoot."

Icy sweat instant covers me. I only have keys, phone and a debit card. Why didn't I call my boyfriend to walk me home? If I run, home is only a minute away, but i'm out of shape and I don't want this guy to know where I live. If I did try to run, would he really shoot me? Does he actually have a gun? I turn slowly, hands out like I've always read in books to show I'm unarmed. Oh yeah, he has a gun.

It's the only thing I can look at. I couldn't say anything definitive about the person other then male, average height, tan enough to be Hispanic but light enough to be Caucasian. "I won't ask again. Hand over your money, or your dead."

I nod quickly, reaching my hands into the pockets of my apron and emptying them into my hands. Small change, two receipts from work proving I paid for my mountain dews and lunch. A flip phone that's not even worth the $80 I paid for it two years ago, my pathetic keys with one for the apartment and one for the mail box. And my debit card. He makes a disgusted noise, and I hope he doesn't shoot me for being broke. Or worse.

Chancing a side glance I notice that there still isn't any traffic. Or people for that matter. It's only 9PM, and it's July, there should be people out. At the very least the stoners should be hitting up Taco Bell. "Hey, i said don't move!" But he isn't looking at me. It's the bush, rattling much too violently to be a mere nutria, much less a squirrel. Maybe the nice what I can only assume is a raccoon will save me?

He suddenly panics, turning the gun back to me "Don't get any smart ideas!" I drop my hands, letting my belongings fall to the ground and holding my hands up in a defensive gesture, palms towards him in a sort-of push-up position "Look, I don't wanna get shot, but getting bit by a raccoon isn't on my list either. Just take my stuff, ok? The pin is 7789, there's an ATM in the store across the street." The gun wavers between me and the bush, and I try really hard not to cry or piss my pants.

Then it happened. A clocked shadow with a weird as shit hood came out of the bush. But i's so short, is it someone's kid? The gunman certainly seems to think so, and his face pales. "Oh, hell no." The clocked figure turns towards me, and a yellow glow is emanating from underneath the hood. That's soooooo not someone's kid. The gunman panics.

"It's the terrorists! You- Your with them, aren't you? That's why he came out!" I fall down hearing a loud banging noise once, twice. I think he shot me. It seems very important to try to tell him I'm not a terrorist, that I've never seen the thing that's now tackling him to the ground and slashing his arms-chest-face open until a glowing something erupts from his chest, and I see an orb of pink-yellow-white erupt from his chest that I have the thought of is that his heart? And realize that being shot might not be my biggest problem.

It must be the shock. Hearts are organs that do not glow, or levitate, and certainly don't cause clawed monsters clocked in darkness with yellow eyes to do what can only be described as a happy dance at their appearance. It's all very meta. Like something out of a story, or a video game. But as I try to sit up, I see my own chest, and it's not good.

He did shoot me. Twice. As his body evaporates into swirls of what can only be described as darkness, I stare that the nearly fist-sized hole in my chest. The necklace that I've worn since I was two years old is covered in my blood, and thicker things then that are splattered down my work uniform. I have a stupid moment of wondering how my boyfriend, my '50's wife', will get my uniform clean before I notice the thing is coming closer to me.

I recognize it now. Wither everything in the last few minutes has been a hallucination from being shot, or if I'm actually dead and you really do just dream after you die, there's no doubt that what is approaching me is a heartless, a shadow. It's not as cute as it was in the game, I think it got disney-ified for it's audience.

My vision is starting to go. It's a race to see what finished me off first, the shock of being shot, blood loss or a freaking heartless that is so not a terrorist plot like they wanted us to believe. If i'm not dreaming, if this is real, I have to warn him. I can barely move, but my phone is only inches away. I wonder if he heard the gun go off. Is he coming? Oh, please, don't be coming, don't let it get you, too. My fingers inch towards my cell, the adrenaline rush of _must protect_ giving me the strength to move my broken, bleeding body. And it's foot is on top of my phone as my outstretched fingers touch it.

Does it know? As it lowers it's face to mine and sniffs inquisitively, I wonder if it has stopped me on purpose, knowing another heart is on the way if I can't make that call. It probably just stepped on my phone on it's way to me, but the voice in my head is pissed that it took this last act of love away from me, the last thing I could ever do for him. My chest aches at that though, a different ache then the wound pouring out my blood onto the sidewalk. As I fall back onto the ground, no longer able to hold myself up, my necklace dips into the wounds. I stare up into yellow eyes, and a bright light covers everything.

I'm floating in darkness. Is this what happens to hearts? Am I inside of that thing now, a part of it, or just dead?

There's a pinprick of light in the distance. I'm not sure if I have a body, an anything, but whatever I am I angle myself to 'look' towards it. The necklace is a heavy weight around me, much like when I found it as a two-year old. It was a skeleton key in the wood chips at the park I played in as a child. When I found it, I took off my purple shoelace, and tied it around my neck. I haven't taken it off in the 21 years since that day. Someone special had left it there for me, and as I look into the light the boy with brown hair and purple eyes waves at me as his mother takes him away just like that day at the park. The light is getting closer, and I'm falling again.

Maybe this is like those dreams everyone has where they wake up right before they hit the ground? Supposedly, you die if you don't wake up first, and dying in a dream is dying in real life. Scientifically I know that the 'jump' experienced when you wake up is actually your body having a reaction to the fact that you stopped breathing on auto-pilot while you slept, so it's 'shocking' you into waking up so you breathe manually. I really hope it's a falling dream, cause I'm not falling into the light anymore, I'm falling out of it, and the ground is coming at me, and I swear I won't hit snooze this time just please let me wake up in time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Reverse Waterfalls and Minecraft Glitched Islands  
or  
How I was Almost Eaten by a Meatball

Recently in my life, I'd had a few dreams that were overly realistic. In one, I'd cut off half my hair and regretted it so immensely, that I'd wished it was a dream I could wake up from, and when I later did I was unsure how to feel. The logistics of it made my reality feel somehow weaker, as though I could truly change the events of my life simply by wishing them to be untrue, and my stomach had been queasy with the repercussions of such an idea for the rest of the day.

The second time it happened there was no queasy feeling, only relief. In the dream, my boyfriend had been napping while driving his car on the freeway, and then we'd skipped forward in the dream to going down some random no-where road that a homeless person was sleeping in the middle of. He woke up before we hit the man, but not in time to gain full control of the car, and it was a bloody, visceral mess that I'm thankful I cannot entirely remember. Things went downhill from there, including a grand theft autoesk glitch where a man punched him through both his own and our car, to driving the car underwater with both of us contemplating suicide, and finally ending up at our apartments where a police officer was waiting to arrest him. He went to the officer peacefully, but the officer beat his ass, and I willed the world to be a dream that I could undo, and have not be reality.

Waking up from that turned into an hour long cuddle with my still-sleeping sweetie, and I hadn't wanted to tell him that dream for a few days.

With those conflicting feelings still held sharply in my mind as I stared at the physics-breaking world in front of me with it's reverse-flowing waterfalls and minecraft glitched floating islands of rock, my biggest concern seemed like it should be waking up in such a place with the world's worst hangover and only the foggiest memories of the day/night before, but there was one other little problem: me.

I was wearing green shorts with black tennis shoes and a grey sleeveless hoodie, which was totally fine with me. The hematoma on my right leg and lack of glasses, however, was not. Being suddenly 80 pounds lighter was ok, several inches shorter not so much. The injury on my leg and lack of glasses let me know the body I was in, though still my own, was nearly eleven years younger then it should have been.

The shock of being a kid again, confused and possibly concussed in a strange unknown location is the only excuse for the incredibly stupid thing I did about ten minutes later. I had woken up face down in a pool of what I hope is water, and crawled over to the rock-island nearby with only the intentions of not drowning. And then I realized I wasn't alone. Sitting up with his back against the rock wall was a boy with silver hair, whom I hoped was only unconscious. I walked over and shook his shoulder until he blinked bleary aqua eyes at me and asked the dumb thing you always ask someone who is clearly not alright. "Are you ok?"

He blinked again, looking around and trying to take in the world much as I had only minutes before, confusion showing clearly in his face "...where are we? And who are you?"

My mind blanked, using my real name seemed like a bad idea and while I did in fact think I knew where we were, I shouldn't. I was saved from having to answer either question by the giant floating meatball of darkness that narrowly missed it's flying tackle aimed in our general direction. Riku jumped to his feet as I took a step backwards, suddenly aware of the fact that neither of us had a weapon, or any magic to stop the Darkball that had found us. I had always assumed that Riku had woken in Traverse Town like Sora, and that Maleficent had found him there. Stupid me, this scenario made much more sense.

"Look out, here it comes again!" Riku shoved me before somersaulting out of the way himself. I wound up back on my ass in the water, while he took a battle stance against the Darkball despite having no weapon. I tried to get up, but the old new again injury on my leg made it difficult, so I sort of hobbled my way back out of the water as Riku dodged another attack. He turned to look at me, seeing the injury on my leg for the first time. He looked shocked, and I had a moment to wonder if this reality was like the video games, where people didn't really get physically hurt, just metaphysically with HP and all that shit. "Did it get you?"

With his attention focused elsewhere, the Darkball shuddered in a way I remembered to be it's charging up. Running forward two steps, I pulled the distracted boy to the ground "Get down Riku!"

With both of us helpless on the ground, we watched the end coming at us. It puffed up again, before exploding into green smoke and fire as the Mistress of all Darkness fired her staff at it, effectively saving us. "Oh, you poor children, are you hurt?"

I think my mind stopped for a second with the combination of her motherly words and seeing her in person for the first time. Think less Sleeping Beauty and more Maleficent, but still with the green tinged skin and robes from the former. She was beautiful, and scary, and if I didn't know what she was I might have been tricked into thinking her our benevolent savior. Glancing towards Riku, I noticed his mind was having similar thoughts. Though thankful, he wasn't ready to trust her just yet, and I was glad that it wasn't just me who was suspicious.

Unfortunately, the suspicion was also aimed towards me. As we got to out feet, he shot a look at Maleficent and thanked her for saving us, before turning towards me with hostile eyes "And just how do you know my name?"

Of all the stupid things I could have done, this was definitely the worst. How do you explain knowing things like the name of a perfect stranger, much less things that have yet to, and now might never, happen? Then I had the smartest though I've ever though in my life: What would The Doctor do? Gathering my courage and putting confidence I didn't really have into my voice, I forced a smile on my face and lied my ass off. "I'm The Recorder."

Maleficent looked as unimpressed as Riku did, and right then and there I prayed that Gallifrey wasn't a world that existed or lacked to exist, and that no Time lord would ever interact with my excursions here.

While Riku seemed unimpressed with the title, the Mistress of All Darkness seemed downright suspicious, with a hint of hostile, so I tripped over my words a bit as I tried to explain "Well- you see, I was minding my own business, just going home to study- I'm still in training, you see-" The foot to head inspection of my much younger self showed how much she believed my words.

"-er...anyways, I'm not supposed to interfere with anything, just observe and objectively report-" More suspicion, and I began to wonder if I could finish this lie, much less make it stick and use it as a cover for my existence in this world. Taking a deep breath, I began again "Okay, so there was this shadow thing with glowing yellow eyes, and I was dying, and I was floating in darkness or what I think was a really long time. Then I woke up and wasn't in my body anymore, I was 23, and I have Trig homework to do, and work tomorrow, and I don't know how to get home from here or where we are and-" I realized I was crying, and probably in shock at this point. Then I moved the front of my shirt down, not enough to be indecent mind you, but enough that I could finally see the truth of my own story. Where I had been shot there was a mass of scars that couldn't possibly exist, both because it was over such a vital area and because I had been shot at 23, not thirteen.

I must have been staring at the scars, because the next thing I knew Maleficent had a hand on my shoulder and was wiping my tears away when I turned to look at her face. "There there dear, it's a difficult thing to lose one's own world. I've been in that position myself." There was even a glint of sadness in her eyes, which I felt to be sincere despite knowing her she had been the one to plunge her world into darkness. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I nodded, part of my mind acknowledging that despite what she was, she may very well feel the loss of the things she had done. "I don't know if it's gone or not...the things that attacked me had only been there for a few weeks, so my world could still exist, right?"

She smirked for a moment, though it was quickly replaced with the look of motherly affection, and with a sudden sinking of my heart I realized that I had admitted knowing not only that there were other worlds, but also that I had an idea of how the heartless were linked with their destruction. Shit. "Of course your world could still exist dear. After all, this world, despite the presence of the heartless, is still intact."

"Now then, are you afraid of the darkness?" Her question puzzled me. I'm old enough to have children of my own, of course I'm not afraid of the dark- oh. Darkness means something else here. I gave a small shrug, trying to fit into the scholarly persona I had created for myself amidst my tears "Of course not. Darkness and Light are just facts of the universe. To be afraid of one is like being afraid of the air I breathe, pointless and unnecessary. She seemed please with my answer "You'll do." Do for what? I wanted to ask, but with another pat on the cheek she moved on to Riku, leaving me to collect myself. While I tried to stop crying, I paid attention to their exchange. I had always been curious about this part of the story, after all.

"And what of you, boy? Do you fear the darkness?" Riku shook his head "I'm not afraid of the darkness." We waited for him to elaborate, but it was all he had to say on the matter. He maintained strong eye contact with Maleficent, and it to be enough, because she nodded her head after a minute of solid silence "Very well then. I welcome you both to my castle, and offer you a deal. You can work for me, aid me in my quest to unite the worlds in darkness. In exchange, you may call this place home, and I will teach you to harness powers you've never imagined." Honestly, a bed and magic was enough to convince me that for now, this wasn't the worst idea in the world. After all, Riku had decided to work for her the first time around, and things didn't end too badly for him. AT least not in the end.

"No thanks." Riku said, turning his back on her and shocking me "I have to find my friends." Oh, duh, the only thing he cared about was seeing the outside world with Sora and Kairi. Maleficent nodded, gesturing widely with her arms and staff "Or course, dear boy, but how?"

"Huh?"

"How will you find your friends? I assure you that they are not on this world, or I would have sensed them much as I sensed the two of you. You have no weapons or powers to combat the heartless or other who might stand in your way, and even with your heart open to the darkness they still lust after your heart. You also lack the means to travel to other worlds. However, should you choose to work for me, I would consider helping you to find friends a suitable reward for your assistance." I must have made some move to garner her attention, because she turned to me as well "I offer the same courtesy to you, girl. I think you'll find I am quite the powerful ally, and I'm sure there is something you wish for as well."

OK, now, what would the doctor do? I need to negotiate this carefully. I know Riku works for her, and I know how this story ends, but just existing here is like the butterfly effect. I don't want to change things. But I do need her help. Damn. "...as The Recorder, my job would eventually be to keep track of the events and happenings of the present and past. I'm meant to observe, not to interact, but surely one such as you could make use of my skills?" I think my hopefulness showed too much in my tone, because her lips curled in to a frown, so I hurried on, desperation showing clearly "-but, of course, I'm still just training, so I don't have to obey the rules as carefully. If you can help me to either return home or find my-" What do I say, boyfriend? I look 13, no one would take that seriously. They won't believe roommate either. "-my partner, then I'll help you."

She definitely noticed my hesitance "Your...partner?" I nodded, suddenly feeling more confident and stronger just for thinking of him "Yeah. We go to school and live together." There, that was the truth.

"And does this...partner...of your have a moniker as well, Recorder?" I shook my head "He has a...different area of study. His name is Zac." I realized then that, should he have un-aged as well, I had no idea what he looked like. I didn't meet him until I was fifteen, and he was sixteen."Um..he's older then me. Blonde, blue eyes. Oh, and he wears these rings on his middle fingers, he never takes them off." He had worn them almost as long as I'd had my necklace, so I knew that he would at least have that. But then, even if Maleficent were to find him, he would have no idea who The Recorder was. "But, um, he knows me under a different name...students in mt area aren't allowed to use their real names off world, it causes problems..." I hope I can keep track of all of this later. I puled out the skeleton key I normally wore on a chain around my neck. Since I was a child again, it was still on that purple shoelace, and also had a yin-yang piece and a fake gem in the shape of a teardrop, that was a rainbow purple color like a light oil slick. "He knows this key, so..." Maleficent nodded, as if it made perfect sense, or at least enough sense. Hey, maybe she had another name before she was the Mistress of all Darkness, too.

Riku stepped up "My friends are Sora and Kairi. They're both younger then me. Kairi has blue eyes and red hair, and Sora has brown hair with blue eyes. If you help me find them I'll work for you." He spared a suspicious look from her to give me one as well, and I realized I might have made him distrust me already. I still hadn't explained knowing his name. Oops.

There was more to the conversation between the three of us, mainly focusing on the details of our arrangement, but I honestly wasn't paying as much attention to it as I should have been. My leg hurt, my head hurt, and my contributions had gone down to a few "ah'"s and "uh-huh"s by the time all the details had been worked out. I think I was going decently into shock by the time my head cleared decently enough for Maleficent to say "But I'm being rude, the two of you are now my guests, and should be treated as such."

She pointed her staff in my direction, and suddenly my head was a clear as if I'd done the ice water bucket challenge (which I never did, c'mon people, there is a drought going on), and the hematoma on my leg was gone. My sight seemed clearer too, and I suddenly realized that I'd been healed of my car accident. No ache in my knee which I occasionally drank to drone out, no near-sight in one eye and and far-sight in the other that made me worry about going a weird kind of blind, and I could only assume no incoming memory problems. My eyes started to tear up again, but for a very different reason. "Thank you." and my voice was muffled with far too much emotion for the relatively minor injuries that had been healed. Riku must have heard it, because he was giving me the first non-hostile look since the whole name-blurt thing.

"Think nothing of it dear. Soon I'll be teaching you magics that pale in comparison." A corridor of darkness opened, and we followed her to the other side, the front entrance of the castle. She showed us, briefly, around the castle, and then to rooms we could be using. The games got one thing right, the beds are positively ginormous. She left us to get settled; haha, no luggage, lady. I was sitting on the bed in my room when there was a knock on the door, and Riku came in. Before he could say anything, I apologized.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For saying your name when we hadn't met yet."

The puzzled angry look on his face was enough "What do you mean, yet?"

Help me doctor, for I have no physic paper to fix this situation. "I know you don't really buy the whole Recorder thing, but I am a student. I read. A lot." I watched his face carefully as I constructed a story that might work in this world, feeling slightly guilty for lying to someone that had saved me from being lunch to a meatball. "There were stories of other worlds, and recollections from people who had been to other worlds." The angry look was being replaced by genuine curiosity. Young Riku had always been fascinated by other worlds, and this was starting to seem like a good plan. "I don't have the best memory, but I remember stories well, and I often re-read them to keep them in my mind. I didn't know for sure you were Riku, but you have to realize that boys with silver hair and aqua eyes are kind of an uncommon combination. I made an assumption based on your age, and it matched up with a ten year old story that I'd read."

The skepticism was back on his face "You though of all that while waking up in a strange world after 'dying'-" he made little quotes with his fingers to show how likely he thought that was "-and being attacked by a monster?"

I shook my head. Put that way, it sounded even ludicrous. "No, not that clearly. It was only after everything happened that I took the time to think about it, but when I saw the Darkball-" "That's another thing, how do you know what they're called?" I sighed, shoulder slumping. Every time I opened my mouth, I was just digging the hole deeper for myself. "I told you, I read. A lot. Just because the heartless were new to my world doesn't mean that no one had written about or recorded any knowledge about them. Or are you so closed-minded as to think that they merely spawned recently because they made first-contact with your own world?" I let my disapproving tone show as how I felt about something that arrogant, and his face appeared both slightly angry and sheepish.

"Well, no, but-"

"Riku, I can't explain everything in my world to you, and I doubt that even if I took the time to it would make sense to you. We are literally from different worlds, which means different rules. As The Recorder, it's my job to focus on the present and past, is it too difficult to believe that I might have certain knowledge of possible future events?" There, that worked. There's a look of acceptance on his face, but I know that even if he believes me, he definitely doesn't trust me. Not yet anyways. I cleared my throat in the awkwardly silence, and bowed my head slightly "So...anyways, thanks for saving me from that thing earlier."

He mumbled something under his breath before nodding and accepting my apology "You kept me from being hit by it too, so we're even."

And so now I'm lying here in my room in Hollow Bastion, in the biggest bed I've ever seen, much less slept in, and looking out the window. There are less stars in the sky then there should be with the lack of light pollution, and I think about how here each star in the sky is another world, and what the lack of stars really means. I look over at the light emanating from my adjacent bathroom, I think it's called an en suite bathroom, and try to muster up the energy to get up and turn off the light so I can go to sleep. The bath tub is proportional to the bed here, so I had enjoyed the biggest bubble bath of my life, and flashed back to being seven and enjoying laying down completely without having my feet and head touch either end of the tub.

It's not all bad here, and the food was pretty good at dinner. I didn't know what everything we ate was, and didn't bother to ask. I'd been to other countries in my own world, so I considered myself pretty open to trying other foods. Hopefully they don't have pineapple anything. I'm very allergic, and don't think they have epipens.

If I'm being honest, it isn't the light in the bathroom keeping me awake tonight. It's not worrying about what my being here could do to influence Riku, or Maleficent, or the timeline things are supposed to be running on. It's the fact that I have to sleep alone in this unfamiliar bed. I've had someone else to share a bed with for over five years, and a girl gets used to having a warm back to cuddle up against.

Maybe this will be like the sleep-driving dream, or when I 'cut off all my hair'; maybe if I will myself to have this be a dream I'll wake up tomorrow in my own bed with a funny dream story to tell. Honestly, if this is a dream, I'd like to see where it goes. If it's not, I have no idea how to handle anything. Still, things could definitely have gone worse. I could have been eaten by a meatball today. Phrases you don't hear every day for 500.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Dive to the Heart  
or  
Everything is in English, I Must Read

I rolled over in bed, comfy and content. The rolling let me know I was alone in bed, but I was seldom the first one up. I groped around above my head with my eyes still closed, wanting to check the time and see if it was worth getting up yet or if I was way before my alarm. I couldn't find my phone because there wasn't a headboard. Shit.

I don't think I've ever woken up so fast in my life. I looked around the room, feeling increasingly confused as I could see everything clearly even without my glasses. I turned towards the head board, wait, no, no headboard and no glasses and no phone. No getting ready for work or school, and no one waiting for me to get up and join him in the next room and see who got the computer and who got the playstation.

I redressed in yesterdays clothes, and yes I slept naked. The doors did have locks, and I didn't want to wander around the castle until I found Maleficent so I could ask for jammies. That could wait until after breakfast.

After breakfast sucked.

I wound up not asking about jammies, or anything else for that matter, because Maleficent was busy elsewhere. Instead the crow, Diaval in his human form, was in charge of us for the day. The minion things were at breakfast too, but I sat with Riku near the head of the table, and they seemed to have no interest in looking Diaval's way.

After breakfast we had a more extended tour of the castle. Once we got to the library I started to lag behind, captivated by the rows and rows of books. I wasn't lying when I told Riku that I read a lot. Honestly, when I was a kid I wanted to get a job where I read for a living. When I learned that wasn't a job, I decided to be a librarian until discovering that e-books were replacing real books and that librarians, except at schools, were largely unpaid, and I had no one to pay my way through life. Sigh.

Walking down a row of books, I ran my fingers lightly over the volumes and picked one out at random. You cannot fathom my surprise when I read the cover. The title was unimportant, but when I open the book my disbelief turned to wonder- I could read this book! I pulled down another book, and it was true for this book as well. I ran across the aisle, down a few rows, and pulled down another book and, yes! I could read this book as well! What were the odds that these would be in English? An impatient throat clearing sounded behind me, and I turned embarrassed towards Diaval, who was tapping his foot impatiently with a scowl on his face. Riku stood behind him, and I think he was trying to not laugh at my deer-in-the-headlights expression. Cheeky bastard.

"This is not your library miss, and I would appreciate if you could place those tomes back in their proper places. I trust you won't be running off every time my back is turned, hm?" I nodded, muttering apologies before placing the books back where they belonged, and following him for the rest of the tour. My face must have shown the almost physical pain I was in as we left the library, because Diaval sighed and relented "I will see if my mistress will grant permission for you to frequent the library due to your...scholarly origins." I could have kissed him in that moment, but restrained myself and merely hugged the suddenly uncomfortable man-crow as I nearly cried from relief "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

I'm really a bibliophile at heart.

After the tour was over, we returned to the dining hall for lunch. It was some kind of sandwich thing this time, with what I could identify as white meat and cheese similar to cheddar and leafy green thing I'm just gonna call lettuce. I think the drinks may have been slightly alcoholic as I hiccuped slightly when we left, and Diaval had looked disapprovingly at me when I had refilled my cup the third time. Was there a legal drinking age here, or was I just supposed to know there was maybe alcohol and be trusted not to drink to intoxication?

We were brought before Maleficent on a balcony outside, and given our first instructions. While we would be expected to visit other worlds soon to both help her locate the princesses of heart and look for our friends in our own time, we first would need to learn how to defend ourselves well enough to get around. A dive to the heart was the first order of the day.

Maleficent used her magic to put us into an enchanted sleep, and we were told that the rest would be up to us. I don't know how it was for Riku, but I certainly never wanted to experience a dive to the heart ever again.

In the game it seems well enough, but here the thing, your on a relatively small platform coming out of nothing. No rails, no ladder, and no telling how far down a fall would be. My platform was the same perfect circle as any I'd ever seen. My thirteen year old self stood slightly to the left of the middle, with my normal self standing to the right, both figured back to back. On the right side there was a circle with my boyfriend, step-dad and sister in it, representing the loved ones of my heart. The smaller circles had the images of books, technology, and a certain stuffed dog that I sometimes slept with if I was sleeping alone. In between my two selves, which were leaning back to back, was a gigantic version of the key I've always worn around my neck.

The other half of the circle puzzled me. The circles here included the 2 year old boy who had left me the key in the wood-chips of a park playground, Riku and a boy I had never met with brown hair in a cut similar to Sokka from Avatar and the grey-blue eyes I had inherited from my maternal grandfather. The smaller circles had books, Diaval in his crow form, and a symbol shaped like what some call a shamrock but I've always called a club, like the suite from a pack of cards. The tiny outer circles the lined the entire platform were shaped like seven pointed stars, and the overall tone of the platform was blueish.

I waited for a voice to come out and tell me what to do, or to be attacked by a heartless, anything really, but nothing happened. I walked over to the side of the platform with my adult life, and sat down next to the images of my loved ones. I hadn't really thought about my sister or step-dad. Were they ok? Was my world gone? If it as gone, would it and they be restored when Sora closed the door in Kingdom Hearts?

Time had to be passing, but there was no way to measure it here. I waited for something to happen, and out of sheer boredom had memorized every iota of detail there was to look at. Experimentally I walked near the edge, near mind you, to see if floating platforms of stained glass would appear to wish me away to another location. No such luck. I looked around again, and there was nothing else to see in any direction, even up and down. "Hello!? Is there anyone there!?" Nothing. Just me and my confusing heart.

I walked back to the other side, the side I looked like now, and stared down at the people in the images there. I knew Riku and the toddler, but who was the other boy? Definitely boy, he couldn't be much older then 15 or 16. He didn't look like someone from a video game or books that I could recall, and I didn't know anyone who looked like that in my life back home or my new one here. He had to be from the life here though, right? I mean, he was on the this me's side of the heart. This me and that me. My head hurts again.

Laying down in the middle of the platform over the giant version of my key, i slipped my necklace off from around my neck and held it in my hand. Despite my body un-aging, the key had not. Once it had been shiny and silver, but now it was aged and had darker sports that I had once feared were rust. I'm not sure what it is, probably just corrosion of whatever metal it's made of, but it's not rust. With it in my hand, laying on the platform of my heart, I felt a peacefulness fill my body, and a small bit of light appeared over my head. It reminded me of the light I had seen before, when I was floating in the darkness and my mind had replayed the memory of the toddler with purple eyes.

Sure enough, the small circle with his face on it was glowing slightly. Pulling my necklace back on and flipping my shorter then usual hair out from under it, I scrambled over to the light, half hoping and half afraid now that something was finally happening.

I heard a voice in the darkness. I know that the voice Sora heard was Mickey, thanks to an interview I had read online, but this voice sounded human.

 **It's been a long time.**

 **But not much time has passed.**

 **Time moves differently between worlds.**

 **Your time here is your own.**

"Like, literally my own time as in I shorten my lifespan by being here, or time spent here only passes for me, or..."

 **The people your heart holds are always with you.**

 **As long as you can keep their light close, you need never fear the darkness.**

 **Three pillars rose around the platform, holding the staff, sword and shield.**

 **For every strength there is a weakness.**

 **What will be your strength, and what will you give up in return?**

When I played the game, I always picked the sword and gave up magic. After all, I had a strategy guide, and ken I could hack and slash my way though with combos and level easily with picked the answers for fast leveling. But I could also always reload if I did die. I hadn't seen a save spot yet, and wasn't sure if they actually existed. The one time I sacrificed the shield, I died about 20 times by the Tarzan world.

As a thirteen again bookworm who was...uninclined towards activities of the athletic nature, which I blame my car accident that I've now been healed of, I don't think I can take the hit to defense. But taking extra defense just means it'll take longer for me to die. Happy thoughts.

So I turned towards the staff. It's existence means I can at least learn magic, right? Or majik, or magia, or magick, or whatever they'll call it here. It would be just my luck if I pick the staff and can't even throw a fireball. Sacrificing the sword seems like my only option.

I pick up the staff gingerly, feeling it's lighter then expected weight.

 **The power of the mystic.**

 **Inner strength.**

 **A staff of wonder and ruin.**

 **Is this the power you seek?**

I tighten my grip, hoping I've thought all of this through. I don't think I get a second chance at this. "Yeah...yes, this is what I want." It disappeared from my hand, into a swirl of color and light.

 **Your strength is chosen.**

 **What will be the weakness to balance your heart in return for this strength?**

I walked towards the platform with the sword on it, and held it in my hands. It didn't feel right, it wasn't something I think I could ever wield properly.

 **The power of the warrior.**

 **Invincible courage.**

 **A sword of terrible destruction.**

 **You give up this power?**

"...well, it's either this or become a one-hit KO, so...yes, I give up invincible courage." damn.

The sword vanished as well, and I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my chest.

 **You've chosen the power of the mystic.**

 **You've given up the power of the warrior.**

The platforms disappeared, and the circles on the younger side of the platform glowed. Curious, I walked forward into the light of the toddler, and the surrounding area was engulfed in light. When it cleared, I was in the library of Hallow Bastion, and the toddler was facing me sitting in a windowsill. As I approached, he smiled at me with his purple eyes "What do you fear?"

I crouched down in front of him, wondering how he was two while I was thirteen, and looked into purple eyes I thought I'd never see again "Well, spiders mainly. Needles, though I've been working on that. Forgetting you..." He smiled and let me place my hand over his "...being blind, and losing the people I love." He patted my hand once before a flash of light took him away from me. I was expecting it, but felt a few tears anyways. It's always harder to lose someone after the first time.

Turning around I walked towards the staircase where Riku was waiting. Logically I knew it wasn't him, but he looked and sounded the same as he asked his question. "What's most important to you?" I'm actually glad this isn't really Riku, these aren't questions you want to share with a relative stranger. "Doing the right thing, even if it isn't right choice." He turned and walked towards the window where the toddler had sat, slowly fading away. At the top of the stairs was the stranger with granddad's eyes and classic anime hair. Seeing him as an actual person reinforced in my mind that I'd definitely never met him before, though he was familiar.

"What do you want out of life?" Wow, ok, is there a timer on this question? The voice before said I was on my own time, but didn't really explain what that meant. Sooner might be better then later. "...I want enough time to read all the stories without having to sacrifice my own." The world faded away into darkness until I was back on the platform.

 **Your time here is spent.**

 **The light of truth will aid you down the road.**

 **And remember-**

Darkness began to eat away the platform I stood on, sucking me down with it. I tired to fight it, but my brain couldn't decide if swimming or walking as if up stairs was the correct reaction, and I began to panic as the darkness sucked me down.

 **-I am always with you.**

* * *

 _Recorder Report I_

 _It's long been speculated that time passes differently between individual worlds, the realms of light and darkness, and for those who have lost their hearts. The latter has been proven both with the princesses of heart, nobodies and in individual cases. Since supposedly no one has traveled to the realm of darkness and returned, there is no one to question to find the truth to that unless I can find either Aqua or King Mickey._

 _Individual worlds run on a much different time scale. For instance, in the story of Neverland, Wendy ages quite rapidly after returning to her home despite Peter Pan visiting her quite frequently. It is more then just the magic of Neverland preventing him from aging, time also passes slower on his world._

 _Likewise, even though a decade has passed since Maleficent began to capture princesses of heart, they have aged relatively little. Though this can be explained in part by their missing hearts and their worlds having fallen to darkness, Snow White wasn't captured until after Sora acquired his keyblade, and yet is still near the same age as when Aqua, Terra and Ventus met her a decade before._

 _This throws into question where time is passing. Are some worlds connected through the hearts of others enough that time passes similarly? For those Sora re-encountered in his travels seemed to agree with him on how much time had passed once he accepted that he had slept for nearly a year._

 _The different flows of time don't necessarily have to be consistent within the worlds either. Though through regular game play it's speculative at best how much time Sora spends at each world, how much time passes between visit and event, and re-visits, it seems safe to assume that time spent between worlds and on other worlds would have a different passage of time. Maybe if I get a chance to travel between worlds on my own I can try to compare how much time passes and find some sort of answer to this._

* * *

Maleficent stood in a darkened room with a round table, a man equally shrouded in darkness across form her. "The boy has the power to wield a keyblade, as you said. He has let the darkness into his heart, and will serve us well. The girl, however, is a problem."

The man chuckled, spreading his hands apart in an appeasing gesture "And yet you have decided to keep her anyways. She can't wield a keyblade, or any other weapon of significance insofar as we can tell. Tell me, why keep a problem? You've never been one to keep things that have no use."

"I never said that she was useless. Merely that she is a problem. She seems to possess knowledge of things to come. She knew the boy's name despite having never met him before, and is trying to pass herself off as a neutral party that records the going-ons of the worlds. Knowledge like that could prove useful, and I'm certain that her heart can be persuaded to the darkness."

"And what has made you so certain?"

"The girl has an insatiable thirst for knowledge, the stories of the worlds and their workings. You yourself should know how that opens ones heart to the darkness."

The man laughed, and leaned forward enough that the darkness was no longer clocking him, and the being known as Ansem seeker of darkness cared not who saw him as he continued to laugh "Indeed. They are both willing to throw their fates in for the sake of the light, their friends, and yet have already opened the doorway to darkness within their own hearts. I'll see to it that copies of my reports are left in places the girl will find them as you dispatch them to new worlds. The boy will fall in his own time, the darkness has already begun to overtake him."

"I hear that you have a new plaything as well. Did you bring him with you?"

"Yes, sadly he doesn't speak yet. Come forth, Kerxed."

A boy in the uniform of organization XIII walked forward and lowered his hood, exposing purple eyes that his brown hair fell into. Ansem turned towards Maleficent "The resemblance is striking despite the age difference, wouldn't you agree?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** _Kerxed_ is pronounced similarly to _cursed_ , but with a hard _k_ sound.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Magic 102  
or  
Practical Application is Necessary

I was having a wonderful dream, flying through a library that stretched to the sky, nothing but clouds and books. There was another person there in the distance, but when I tried to get closer something struck me on the head and I fell down. I woke with a jump, as if I had really been falling,and a book slid off of my head. Presumably the book fell from the stack on the table next to me, where I had been using another book as a pillow. Not the best way to wake up, but then I don't usually wake up in a library either. Wait, why am I in the library?

A glance at the windowsill showed it was still afternoon. The last thing I remembered was finishing up the castle tour and then meeting with Maleficent. Diaval must have gotten me permission to use the library, but I slept great last night, so why was I napping here? Looking down at the book in front of me revealed that I'd been trying to learn by osmosis _The Travels of Sinbad; Time Differences Around the Worlds_. There were two notebooks to my side, one filled with notes and things crossed out, and another with writing only on the first page.

The second journal had a report under my name in it, but I don't remember writing it. It's my handwriting, or I'd worry that there really is a The Recorder out there somewhere. Wouldn't that be delightfully complicated? I put the books on the table away, happily they were all from the same section. Once the table was cleared I picked up the two notebooks and found a small gift tag on the table under them. _From Diaval, may your research not interfere with your assignments_. What assignments?

With both notebooks tucked under my arm and the note secured in my second notebook, I left the library and hit up a vending machine nearby for what I'm gonna call jerky and a bottle of water. I walked outside to where we had gone to meet with Maleficent earlier, and watched the reverse waterfalls from a distance. I'd only been in this new world a day, but they seemed less strange now. Was it the imbalance of darkness in this world that caused the water to act like this, or had Maleficent herself done some arcane experiment on them?

My musings were interrupted by a shout from behind me "Hey!" I turned to see Riku moving towards me "Where have you been? You were supposed to meet up with Diaval hours ago." I blinked slowly. Hours ago? I can't have been asleep for that long, it's still afternoon "What are you talking about?" Riku paused several feet away from me. "...whats the last thing you remember?"

I open my mouth to ask what he's talking about when I notice the sun in the sky. We had our tour after lunch yesterday, and it was mid-afternoon when we went to go see Maleficent. The notebooks under my arm suddenly seem heavy as I realize that doing research and taking a nap would take at least a few hours, and the sun in the sky tells me it's between breakfast and lunch time right now. Shit. "...did we meet with Maleficent?"

Riku nodded "You were acting weird after you woke up. You were out a lot longer then I was, and when you finally did wake up you didn't have a weapon to summon-" he held up his hand and summoned Soul Eater "-even though you completed your trial. Maleficent says that by choosing the staff you should have a magic-based weapon like she does, but you don't. Hey, are you listening to me?"

Honestly, no, I wasn't. Seeing Soul Eater in person was way better then through the game. Inspecting a weapon made of magic and darkness from a hairsbreadth away probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but The damn thing was mesmerizing, and shiny. I like shiny thing, ok? Riku must have noticed my fascination, because a moment later the weapon disappeared in a swirl of magic, leaving me with slumped shoulders and a hurt expression on my face "I was totally listening, you have an awesome bad ass weapon and I can't do jack shit."

Riku stared at me, and I think if he was a little older he would have called me a potty mouth. Just because I look like a kid doesn't mean I have to act, or talk like one for that matter.

"Uh...ok then. Anyways, you were supposed to go see Diaval after breakfast, but you didn't show up to that either. Did you even go to bed last night?" I shook my head "I don't remember last night, or this morning. I woke up in the library...where was I supposed to meet Diaval?"

Twenty minutes later I found the man-crow, and he was so not happy about being kept waiting. I apologized and told him I had been blackout out for the last 24 hours or so, but I don't think he understood the reference. Since I didn't have a weapon, Maleficent had decided I needed to learn magic before I could leave to explore other worlds. Why wasn't she teaching me? Well...

It turns out that learning magic isn't as simple as acquiring a spell. First you have to find out what kind of magic your compatible with. Then you have to find out what way your mind and body will accept learning magic. For most you channel it through a weapon, or call if forth from your hand. Three hours later, and we were getting no where.

Diaval sighed as he put another book away. "You might be a null. We've gone through over half of these books and you haven't responded to anything." I pouted at him, trying not to show my frustration "I think I've responded plenty. The theories behind these books are sound, and I'd really like more time with them later so-" "SILENCE!" Maleficent didn't really shout, but her voice killed every small noise in the room. If a pin had dropped her glare might have caused it to spontaneously combust. "You are not here on some sort of academic exchange. If you want access to these tomes, I suggest you make yourself useful. If you cannot summon a weapon or magic, how do you propose to travel the worlds?"

She had a point. I'd been trying and trying, but no matter how many times I tried to read a spell, or use an object to call forth power, or tried to look 'deep within myself', nothing was happening. So much for being able to do things just because I survived leaving my world and winding up in an alternate reality I'd assumed was just a video game, and thinking I would be able to use magic or wield a keyblade or something. Guess I'm still just a human, even if I am a kid again. I looked up from my shoes as her dark robes entered my vision "Never mind dear, you must be tired. You can try again tomorrow. If nothing happens, there are other ways for one such as you to acquire powers."

I didn't like the sound of that. I returned to my room, and filled my tub with bubbles, amusing myself with building towers out of the soap suds until the water got cold. I stared at the ceiling while laying down on the bed, and tried to convince my overworked mind to stop thinking about magic and just fall asleep. Had I really done a dive to the heart? I've never touched a keyblade, so I guess I should have known that I wouldn't be able to wield one. But if Maleficent got her staff through the same ritual, shouldn't I have something? Maybe it was me. She already had magic, even before the staff. Riku had a link to the keyblade through Terra, and using a magic weapon naturally leads to being able to use magic, so where did that leave me? Maybe I could call forth a flashlight, or a computer or something. Ha, I wish.

 _The toddler with the purple eyes was going down a slide at the playground, two skeleton keys around his neck. He got to the bottom of the slide, and laughing looked at and made eye contact with me. He put a finger to his lips,asking me to be quiet, and took his necklace off. He took one of the keys off and set it down carefully in the wood chips while maintaining eye contact with me. His mother called for him, and he ran to her. Taking her hand, he looked back in time to see me picking up the key he had left behind in the wood chips. He smiled and held up his own necklace, showing the only skeleton key on it. Nodding, I took off one of my purple shoe laces and tied the key into a necklace. He smiled and waved at me as his mother took him away from the playground._

 _I turned around to play, and was greeted with several heartless of the shadow variety. I screamed my two-year-old scream, and cowered as the heartless sprang at me, holding my new necklace tightly in my chubby baby hand. As the heartless made contact with me, a bright light sprang into existence around me, and it was deflected away from me as if I had used a blocking technique. I gazed down at the necklace in my hand, wondering what had happened. Another heartless sprang up to attack me. I held the necklace up i front of me, believing in it's power, and the shield sprang to life again, strengthened by my belief in it. With it's increased strength, the heartless took enough damage to destroy itself in it attempt on my heart._

There were less minions at breakfast. I guess they have jobs or something, maybe they're the ones who scout the worlds for Maleficent? I headed back to the room I had been working in with Diaval yesterday, and we went back to the books. Five hours later, we had gone through every book, tried every exercise, and held several weird tools, even going so far as holding Maleficence's staff when she came upstairs. "It would appear, mistress, that the girl has no aptitude for magic what-so-ever." "Indeed." Maleficent mused while walking slowly around me in circles "For an academic, you would think the logical approach would work. Perhaps something more...practical is called for."

I really didn't like the sound of that, but what other options did I have? "What did you have in mind?" Maleficent completed the circle, and placed her hand under my chin, bringing my gaze up to her eyes "Why, my dear child, now that you have the principal of the matter down, all that's left is to acquire some...incentive. I think your ready to venture forth into the world. You have the potential buried inside of you, all that's needed is the right circumstances to bring it out."

Personally, I think she's just planning on letting me die. Then again, this is the same woman who decided that death by spinning wheel after sixteen years was a prudent way to kill someone off, so maybe I am safe. "Um...I guess that makes sense..."

"Excellent, then it's decided. I take you and Riku to your first world, somewhere where you can verify the existence of your friends, and get a taste of what lies in wait for those who are wise enough to serve me."

Twenty minutes later we walking through the corridors of darkness for the first was oddly oppressive, like suffocating slowly, as if the very nature of the place was eating away at us. I'm not entirely sure that that wasn't what was happening. Once we exited the corridors, we were outside the coliseum, and Maleficent turned us loose. "The person you'll want to speak to is Hades, lord of the underworld. He has domain over all who have passed, and can tell you if your friends still live in this or any world. I shall return for you here at nightfall."

Yay, we get to spend the day at Olympus Coliseum, calling on Hades. I know this is one of the lower leveled worlds, but Riku is brand new with his weapon, only has one basic magic attack, and I have zilch in the offensive department. At least if we die here, I know where I'll be going. Hopefully the underworld isn't as boring as the movie made it out to be, just spiraling endlessly in swirls of color looking fatigued and ghastly. Ick.

Riku and I made our way down through the underworld in relative silence. I was brooding over my inability to do anything in this world, and I'm guessing he was worried about learning if his friends were dead. I could have told him they were alive and, well, mostly ok. I'm not sure how Kairi really was, what with missing her heart and all, but I was trying not to influence event with the main story. Things turned out fine, and I try not to fix things that aren't broken.

Eventually we reached the innermost part of the underworld that the living can access. We looked around, and it was Riku who stated the obvious "There's no one here." The room was empty, but it's not every day you find yourself in the antechamber of the god of the dead. "It can't hurt to look around, right?"

Unfortunately there wasn't much to look at. We turned to leave, and a shimmer glazed over the only exit, creating a shield that trapped us in the room as heartless began to form inside the chamber with us. I ran to the shielding, but it wouldn't budge, and turned around to see several shadows and soldiers, one of which was charging towards me. I threw my arms up, knowing it was useless, and closed my eyes as I braced for an impact that never came.

Opening my eyes, I saw Riku blocking the attack with Soul Eater. "Stay behind me, I'll take care of this." Cool, he doesn't hate me enough to not let me die. I tried to stay out of the way, occasionally ducking gracelessly and doing my best to stay behind Riku as he fought. Considering that most of his experience was mock play fighting from his home world, he wasn't doing too badly.

Riku dismissed his weapon, looking towards the still shielded door. "I think that was the last of them." I moved away from where I had been supporting the wall, moving across the room when I saw a shadow moving across the floor. I put myself between it and Riku as it leapt up to attack "Watch out!' I clutched my necklace in one hand, the held up at an angle to ward it off. A shielding appeared around the both of us, extinguishing the last of the shadow's health bar.

"Hey there kiddo, nice job taking those guys out" Hades appeared in a flash of blue smoke, and holy shit, he looks way less ridicules then his cartoony appearance in the games and movies. Fire hair is much more intimidating in person as he leans his arm around Riku, who looks off put at best. "You know, you've got a real talent there kid. You should enter the tournament here-" I coughed lightly, getting Hades' attention. "Oh, but where are my manners." He vanished from around Riku in a puff of smoke before appearing behind me in another flash of blue, and just as suddenly his blue hands were on my own shoulders "You've got a real gift there girly. I mean, for someone with no weapon, skills or magic-" I slumped slightly under his assessment. Was it that obvious I was such a loser?

"-but hey, powers of the heart are a rare talent. If you could harness something like that, you and I might be able to make a deal-" Luckily Riku saved me from having to discuss making a contract by stepping forward and interrupting "Maleficent sent us. She said you could tell us if our friends were still alive." His voice was carefully neutral, but when I looked at him his eyes were filled with guilt. Riku may have opened his heart to the darkness in order to see the outside world, but he thought his friends were going with him. His world, his home, and everyone he knew could be dead for all he knew. I was tempted to tell him that someday he would go home, and everyone would be alive and well. If he believed me, it would cast a different light on the events to come. If he didn't believe me, it might drive an even further wedge between us. For now his dislike of me extended enough to discourage small talk, much less friendship. I liked that he wasn't letting me die, and I wanted things to stay that way.

"Oh, she did, did she?" Hades walked over to a book on a pedestal. "Alrighty then, names and worlds." Riku went first, and I tried not to look too bored. I already knew that Sora and Kairi were fine. "OK, so this Sora kid, he never passed through here. But your friend Kairi-" Oh no. No no no no no. There's no way, I got here after the island disappeared, I couldn't have possible changed her fate, right? "-she's got a little asterisk next to her name." Riku's hands balled into fists. "Meaning what, exactly?" "Well, kid, I'm not gonna sugar coat it, it's not good. She's missing her heart." Oh, phew, things are still normal and on track.

"What do you mean, she's missing her heart!?" I'm not sure if Riku is more scared or pissed off right now. "Exactly what I said. She isn't dead, but her heart is missing." Riku's shoulder slumped as he hung his head "But, she's still alive, right?" "yeah, she's still 'alive'." Hades made little quotes in the air with his fingers "You just have to find her, track down her heart, and bada-bing, bada-boom, she'll be back to normal." "Just find her and her heart, huh?" Riku held up a clenched fist in the air in front of him, determination emanating from his body "I'll do it. I'll find her, restore her heart, and find Sora too." "Great, good, fine, and I wish you the best of luck. But it's not that easy to restore someone's heart kiddo." "Huh?" Hades closed his book for a moment, and leaned his elbows on the platform it rested on. "You'll need the power of the princesses of heart, maybe even Kingdom Hearts itself to save your friend. The good news is that your pal Maleficent is already working on that plan, so if you stick with her, then you'll be able to save your friend." Oh. Convincing argument. No wonder Riku agrees to work for her.

"Ok, girly, your turn. Name and world." I walked forward as he opened his book back up to what I can only assume is an index page. I unclenched my hand from my necklace. It was a comfort item, but it was also a spiritual one as well. Using it to pray or for comfort while in the world of the dead just seemed wrong somehow. Hades, glanced up as light refracted from my necklace, and he paused. "Hey now, wait a minute, I've seen those before." He tapped his forehead with a finger, and I watched as the light in his flame eyes got brighter in recognition. I'd always thought of his eyes as nicotine stained before seeing him in person "Ah yes, I remember now. Your a Nmi, right?" My heart stopped.

The lord of the dead recognized me as one of my ancestral people, even though no one other then my grandmother and brother had accepted me as one of their own. "...through my grandmother's side of the family, yes." I was acutely aware of Riku's gaze on me. My hair was shorter then I was used to, but slightly past the shoulder's is long enough to hid my face. "Huh, thought you were all gone by now. I mean, you do realize your world is gone, right?" I nodded, biting my lip. I guess it wasn't isolated to my area then. Most of the others lived in Canada, so the odds of my boyfriend making it out seemed slim now. "...yeah, I kinda figured." "Well, that makes my job easier." He skimmed pages in his book, which as I now looked at it was rewriting it's worlds as he looked through it. "Ok, got it. Name?" I hesitated for a moment, suddenly much more sympathetic towards Riku. This was the last moment I could pretend that everything was ok. After this I would know for sure, one way or the other, and suddenly I wasn't sure knowing was the best option.

"...Zac." He huffed, flame hair extending upwards. "I'm gonna need more then that." I sighed before giving not only his full name, but also his age, immediate family members and a general description of him. "Ok, ok, keep your hair on, I need a name not his whole life story." I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering if his hair could be blown out by anyone or just his brother Zeus. "Hm...you've got another asterisk case here." My hand grasped my necklace out of habit as I thanked the patron guardian of my people. "He's alive then..." Hades laughed "Well, aren't you two just the luckiest kids then. You both have friends with missing hearts, and you've already made nice with possibly the only person who can help you." Yeah, convenient, possibly even too convenient, but so what?

"I mean, really, what are the **odds**?" His hair flamed red at the last part, making us both jump back, though he eased back to blue within the moment "Ahem. Anyways, who else princess?" I must have hesitated too long, because Riku poked my arm and motioned towards Hades "Wait, me? No, my sister is the princess-" Hades' eyebrow shot up at that remark, so I hurried on "-not an actual princess, just to her family. Her name is Sarah, it means princess is all." Hades looked bored at that before consulting his book. While we waited Riku stepped up and spoke to me quietly "I didn't' know you had a sister." I shrugged "We don't really know each other that well, do we?" His look was slightly hostile, so I over explained and gave him more details then I normally would to a relative stranger "She's not really my sister. Our mom's were half-sisters, and when her mom couldn't get pregnant she ended up adopting me. She got pregnant with Sarah about a year later, but she was already stuck with me, so we ended up getting raised as sisters." Riku looked away, and I realized I had probably said way too much. "...sorry, didn't mean to pry."

I flushed at his apology, shaking my hands in front of my face "Ah, no, that is, nothing to be sorry about, I overshared-" Hades coughed, getting our attention back "Ok, so, two things. One, this 'Sarah'-" again with the finger quotes "-passed through here. Two, so did her entire family." I figured as much. Wait, what? "What do you mean, her entire family?" "Exactly what I said." He snapped the book shut and it disappeared with a bit of smoke as Hades approached us "Which means you went through here too. What did you say your name was?" I didn't. "The Recorder." Hades gave a laugh at that "Oh please, kid, no games down here. This is **MY DOMAIN.** " His hair and entire body went red, and I began to take a step backwards for every step he took forwards. Riku did the same, clearly not wanting to be less then five feet away from a god on fire.

" **I MAKE THE RULES HERE, AND NO ONE, AND I MEAN NO ONE, GETS AWAY WITH LEAVING WITHOUT-MY-PERMISSION!** " I thought he was going to explode as his words began to run together. Then he suddenly turned back to his blue self, and held out his hand as the book reappeared in a flash of smoke. "Now then, I understand the meaning associated with a name, so I'll make you a deal. You just point, and we'l keep the matter of your name between us friends, hm?" I looked at Riku, who aside from looking confused also seemed guarded. I guess he wasn't happy about the fake name thing either. I turned back towards Hades, resigning myself to my fate. "Do you want the name my grandmother gave to me, or the one they gave me when I got adopted?" The bitterness was strong in my voice, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Riku look away remorsefully. He might be mad at me, but he was a nice enough person to still feel bad about my situation. Weird. I had made peace with it a long time ago, or so I thought, but it seems like being younger again undid all that therapy. I'll have to try to keep it under wraps better. If he though the whole adoption thing was uncomfortable, he wouldn't want the full story.

Hades held the book out to me "First one, then the other." I took the book from him and flipped through the pages. Some names stuck out to me as vaguely familiar, and others were ones I definitely did know, but for the most part it was just names. I felt a bit bad, I mean, everyone of these names was an actual person who was dead. I wondered not for the last time if my world, and the people in it, would be restored when Sora closed the door to Kingdom Hearts. As I continued to scroll down the pages, one name stuck out to me, and it was crossed out. I stopped, debating on whether or not to ask about it, and finally gave in. Curiosity is a cruel, relentless mistress "Why is the name crossed out?" Hades glanced down at the book "Hm?...oh, that one went back. Said some nonsense about saving his baby sister, got himself reborn, and took his first ticket outta here." I tried to keep my face blank as I processed the information "...and is he still alive?" "No clue kid. He'll be under a new name now, it's a new life." I nodded before going to the name underneath the one crossed out and handing the book back "That one."

Hades laughed "Oh, man, that's rich. Universe has got a hell of a sense of humor. Alrighty then, that explains everything. You look a lot better then when you passed through here."

I stopped breathing. I did die then? Riku took a step forward, looking at Hades desperately "Wait, you mean it's true then? She did die?" He looked at me in horror, and worse, pity. "Yep, dead as a door nail this one. Only here for a few minutes though. Technology on your world is something else, they do take backs all the time. Didn't do much good though, did it?" My hand was still, clutching my necklace over my chest where the mass of scars was hidden by my shirt, a permanent reminder of what had happened. "Hey now, don't worry about it too much kid. I mean, it's not like it was your first time dying." Riku looked truly scared now as he took a few steps back from me. "What..." I glared first at Hades, then at Riku "There were some problems with my birth, and I'm told I almost drowned a few times as a kid." I carefully didn't mention the accident I had had at thirteen. Coming back from a traumatic birth or a near-drowning was one thing, but how did I explain getting hit on foot by a car going 40? Did they even have cars on Riku's world?

I turned back to Hades. I was so done with this. "Can we go now?" The book dissipated into the air again, and Hades slouched casually on the pedestal it had been sitting on. "By all means, but I have a feeling I'l be seeing you again real soon, sweetheart." Ick. Double ick.

I turned towards the entrance and started to walk, calling over my shoulder at Riku "Are you coming?" I didn't wait for a response as I left the room, and began the long ascent towards where Maleficent had left us. I almost hoped a heartless attacked me. At least it wouldn't judge me. Maybe i could even do that shield thingy again. It's supposed to get easier after the first time, and with practice, right? Damn, I really hope that wasn't a one time thing.

* * *

Hades watched as the boy stared down at the floor with his fists clenched, anger coming off of him in waves as a slight aura of darkness briefly surrounded him. He looked up towards the exit, determination written across his features. "Recorder, wait!" He took off at a run as the Lord of the Dead chuckled in amusement. "Quite the pair you've got there."

Maleficent walked out of a portal of darkness to stand beside him. "Indeed. Did you alter your book before the girl had a chance to look at it?" Hades held out a hand, and the book fell open across his palm to the page the girl had pointed to. Maleficent craned her head to look, but Hades pulled it back away from her "Ah-ah-ah. That kid's name is a secret I'm afraid. Confidentiality clauses and all that." Maleficent stamped her staff on the floor. "Nonsense! I demand you show me!" Hades handed the book over. "Suite yourself." Maleficent took the book in her hand, and curled her lip in disgust as she read, before closing the book and shoving it back into Hades' hands.

"It says The Recorder. Surely that isn't really her name?" Hades laughed "You asked me to alter the book so that she would think she had someone else to save, and a heart to find. You know as well as I do that her little boyfriend has his heart, that isn't the problem."

Maleficent glided forward slowly "Indeed. That brother might be a problem later though, who knows how that'll play out. Unless..." She turned back towards Hades "If the brother can be convinced to join our cause, we may have a perfect weapon. After all, it is her fault he died, it may not be too difficult to convince him to turn against her."

Hades nodded in agreement "And the boyfriend doesn't even remember her!" Hades walked forward, holding up a hand in mock-whisper fashion before continuing "But what I don't get is why your going to all this length to have her fall to darkness. I mean, personally I get it, professionally it even makes sense, but-" He dropped his hand and began walking away, his hands in the air in exasperation "-she doesn't have any powers, and from what I can tell, her heart is nothing special. Why go to all this trouble?"

Maleficent smirked, opening another portal to darkness in order to be at the top by the time the children returned to the rendezvous point. "Now, Hades, where's the fun in telling everything? Just sit back, and enjoy the show. Besides, you have your own problem to work on. Or have you already managed to subdue this Hercules?" Maleficent vanished into the darkness, her laughter ringing in the cave as Hades' burst into angry red flames and clenched his fists and teeth in anger "Oh, no need to worry about **MY** problems, babe. I've got **EVERYTHING** under control on my end."

* * *

 _Learned **Shield**_

* * *

I was almost back to the entrance by the time I heard running footsteps behind me, and Riku calling for me to wait. I was tempted to keep walking, but if I wanted to be able to go to other worlds I was going to need his help, so I allowed myself a single sigh before slumping my shoulders and turning around to face him. I could be a mature adult about this, i didn't need to act like the child my body thought it was, or the emotional adolescent my brain chemistry thought we were.

Riku finally caught up and bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breathe. "You shouldn't run off like that. What if you had been attacked?" "Then I probably would have died again." My voice was cold, angry even, and I hadn't meant it to be. Riku straightened, an angry look forming on his face as I tried to collect myself. He began to open his mouth when I held out a hand in surrender "Sorry, I didn't mean that." Well, actually, it was likely I would have died if I had been attacked, but wasn't really very helpful. "Look, I don't like to talk about my past, ok? It all happened a long time ago. I know I'm a freak, ok?" I was hiding behind my hair again, being very careful not to cry. Riku broke the awkward silence with scratching the back of his head "...yeah, I can get why you don't want to talk about it. Back home, kids would drown occasionally, but usually someone would get to them fast enough that they were brought back with CPR. It's not really that...freaky."

I glanced up at him through my hair. If Riku was willing to ignore the weirder deaths by making the other ones sound normal, then we could probably ignore what had happened today. He was trying, so the least I could do was try too. "...Yeah, I guess that makes sense. You grew up on the ocean, right?" He nodded, seeming relieved to be talking about something more normal. I moved my hair back behind my ears, hand trailing off a bit as I was used to having more hair to tuck. "Let's...not talk about home, ok? We should just focus on getting our friends back." Riku nodded, a grin finding its way to his face "Ok, but you owe me?" My jaw gaped slightly "Huh? How do I owe you?" He smirked and began walking again, leaving me to gape at his back "You'd never be able to look for your friend without me helping you. Don't get me wrong-" he glanced back over his shoulder, still smirking "-that shielding of yours is useful, but it's hardly going to be enough to take out any enemies. And besides," He faced forwards again, and kept walking "someone who dies as often as you do needs all the help they can get."

Burn. But he does have a point. With his help, I might live long enough to my sweetie, thought I'm more concerned with finding his heart. I'm fairly certain that Kingdom Hearts has nothing to do with finding lost hearts. Riku has it easy. By finding Sora, he also finds Kairi's heart. But he doesn't know that, and I'm not about to tell him. By thinking we're in the same boat, he's more willing to help me. Oh, and not deviating from the plot line. Yeah, that too. I hurry after Riku, feeling only slightly guilty about withholding information from him, and the sinking feeling in my gut that I'm using him. Despite having known him for about three days now, he's still not a real person to me. He's just a character from a video game, right? Yeah, and I'm just having the most interactive, vivid dream ever.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

A Mission in Mitakihara City  
or  
A Day Trip to Spira

When we met up with Maleficent again, she was all sympathy and pity for the lost hearts of our friends. Riku asked her about Kingdom hearts, and her plans with the princesses of heart. She seemed surprised that Hades had told us so much, but something about her surprise seemed a little...off. Had she told Hades to feed us information to make us more wiling to work for her? The reasons she gave us for needing the princesses and Kingdom Hearts was to plunge all the worlds into darkness, thereby enabling all the worlds to become connected and one again; and that the princesses were needed to restore hearts. As lies go, it wasn't a bad one, and it played directly to Riku. After all, if all the worlds were one, then seeing other worlds would be easy.

I was the one to ask here why she wanted the worlds to become one. "Why, to restore the balance of the universe, of course. And to take my rightful place as its ruler, as reward for all my hard work." Yeah, ask a stupid question, get a crazy answer. Riku surprised me by quietly asking "And the princesses? Why do you need to restore hearts?" Maleficent glared at him, stating that that was a private matter and none of his business. Besides, why should we care what she needed to restore when she was willing to help us restore our won friends in exchange for the mere favor of helping here to accomplish her own goals? Put like that, it did seem a but ungrateful.

"Now then, my scouts have returned with a possible location for one of the princesses of heart. You two are to set off in the morning. Riku, I trust Diaval's lessons have made you proficient in the piloting of a gummi ship?" I turned to look at Riku, who nodded. When had he had time to learn to pilot a gummi ship? Probably when I was blacked out in the library. I turned back to Maleficent "Why not just transport us like last time?" She used her hand to tilt my chin up to meet her gaze, a habit of hers I was beginning to greatly dislike "Surely you feel the residual strain of darkness from going to and from the worlds? It's a sensation I wanted the two of you to be familiar with. Using the corridors is not to be taken lightly, though I'm sure you will have need of it in the future."

I shuffled from foot to foot, realizing that even though I knew who all of the princesses were, I had no way to properly identify or verify any hearts we might come across "So, how do we know if someone is a princess of heart or not?" Maleficent took us to the room where Riku would later lose his heart to Ansem, and where Aurora and Cinderella were sleeping behind glass. Riku seemed shocked at first, they certainly looked dead. I was more surprised that she only had two of them at this point, but surprised was probably a good reaction to this. Maleficent calmed us quickly, explaining that they were merely sleeping, to prevent them from going into shock upon learning that they were no longer in their worlds. Riku took a step forward, inspecting the sleeping princesses "Why would they go into shock?"

Maleficent stood beside Aurora, a look I couldn't place on her face "Not all react so well to their world being lost to the darkness. Without the power of their hearts, I cannot restore their worlds. However, such a shock could damage their hearts, making it impossible to restore what is lost forever." She then taught us how to sense hearts, and I felt something click inside of me. I could, when concentrating, now 'see' the hearts around me. I couldn't quite see Maleficent, and when we asked why she stated that her heart was shielded with her magic, granting her the power to use the heartless instead of being hunted by them. I'm not sure how much of that is true, but we knew how to confirm or deny a princess of heart now, so it seemed like a moot point.

Since it was still early evening, we set out after Maleficent briefed us. We were heading to a place called Mitakihara City, where one Madoka Kaname resided. I was careful to school my face as she told us the details. I already knew who all the princesses were, but there was no way I was going to accelerate the timeline. Sora needed things to progress normally so that he would be strong enough to defeat Riku. If we got the princesses early, then when Ansem possessed Riku he might be able to take Sora's heart, and therefore Kairi's, and complete the X-blade. I'm so don't want to be responsible for rewriting the history of that conflict.

As we boarded the ship, I was surprised by how roomy it was. There was enough seating for a few more people besides us, a small area in the back with bunks and basic supplies, not to mention a bathroom, and further storage under the small living area. I always wondered where extra potions and weapons were stored, now I had my answer.

As it turns out, traveling takes a lot more time then the game lead me to believe. Riku and I attempted small talk for a little while, but it lead no where. Bored, I asked him to teach me how to use the ship. He seemed suspicious as to why I would need to know, but I pointed out that if we had to battle heartless ships in space it might be a good idea for both of us to know both the flying and battle controls of the ship. Practicality at its best. It took about four hours to teach me everything, and by then it was late and we were tired.

Riku began to look around on the map "There's no auto pilot on this ship. We could take turns sleeping, but if one of us falls asleep-" the look he gave me made it clear who he thought would fall asleep at the wheel "-then we could overshoot our target. We should find a world to anchor to for the night." I looked at his map for a moment, and saw one I recognized. "How about that one?" He looked at the star, then back at me "There are other worlds closer, why that one?" I hesitated for a moment, wondering how much was safe to share. If I wanted Riku to trust me, then I should be willing to give him some of my secrets. "So, you know how I read a lot?" Yeah, there's that hostile look again "Ok, Riku, look, I have knowledge I can't explain properly, so just try to trust me, ok?" The glare toned down a little, but he was still clearly mistrustful. "This world has airships, so our won't look as conspicuous. Also, there a small place there called the Farplane, where you can see dead."

Riku's face couldn't decide whether to be shocked or skeptical at that. "Really. The first bit is useful, but why would you want to go and 'see the dead'." Great, now he's doing little quotes in the air too. "I don't entirely trust Hades. If we go to the Farplane we can see if the people we're looking for are really alive." That and I really wanted to see pyreflies. Riku agreed that it seemed like an okay place to bunker down for the night, and as luck would have it we touched down on the northern moonflow.

It was mid afternoon as I walked towards Guadosalam with Riku, who took in the sights with eager eyes "Ok, I think I'm glad you talked me into stopping here. This world is amazing!" I glanced around, thankful that no one was paying us any attention, before fiercely whispering to Riku "You might want to keep it down about being from another world. No telling how the locals might react. If anyone asks your from Besaid. It's a small island far to the south, and since you actually are from an island you can talk about...islandy stuff if anyone asks questions." Riku glared at me slightly until he saw the Shoopuf "What the hell is that thing!?" A person nearby laughed quietly at his outburst "Never seen a shoopuf before, huh? Its certainly something to write home about." A hypello shook he reins of the shoopuf, taking a group of people across the moonflow. I turned to look at Riku, who was staring off after the giant elephant thing "I promise that on the way back we can return and ride the shoopuf. Let's get to Guadosalam before nightfall, ok? I want to make sure we get a room.

It took almost an hour to get to Guadosalam, where I learned another important lesson about the new universe I was visiting. Apparently munny has this magical property to transform into whatever currency the world you are visiting is using. Nifty.

We checked into the room, and I wondered briefly when we had arrived. Was Yuna undertaking her pilgrimage? How did Tidus and Wakka being on Destiny Islands, and temporarily lost to darkness change things here from the story I knew? Then again, Yuffie Aerith and 'Leon' thought they were from Radiant Garden, not from the world I knew them from, so maybe the stories here are different. The gullwings appeared in the not too distant future as some sort of faeries treasure hunting under Maleficent, if I remembered correctly, so were we past the timeline of 10-2? But for them to appear, this world had to have fallen into darkness. Hello migraine, I'll stop wondering about hypothetical timelines now.

After we checked in, I lead Riku up the paths to the entrance of the farplane. It wasn't closed down, so after explaining to the guado in charge that we were tourists who wished to see the famed farplane, we were granted access. We were at the bottom of the stairs below the portal when Riku stopped me. There was no one else here, so we could talk freely "You seem to know your way around here. Have you been here before?" I shrugged awkwardly, clasping my hands in front of me "In a matter of speaking. It's my first time here physically, but I know this world pretty well." I probably played at least 400 hours of this world between the two games. Maybe we could catch a blitzball game sometime, and I could see if they used re-breathers or if they really just held their breathe for a super long time.

Riku closed the distance between us, putting his hands on my shoulders so that I was forced to look into his eyes "What do you mean by that, exactly? Either you've traveled to other worlds before, or you haven't." I reached up and gently pushed away his arms, and he let me, since I was giving him full eye contact "Riku..." He shook his head, hands forming into fists "No, enough secrets. I want to know what's going on." I sighed, looking down briefly before looking up again "...I know the history and geography of this world through maps and first-hand accounts. I know the monsters of this world through a detailed bestiary. And I know some possible inhabitants through stories I've heard, but, Riku-" I gestured around us at the unrealness of the antechamber to the farplane "Time passes differently between worlds, and I have no idea when we are here. It could be way after what I know, or just a few days after, or somewhere in between." Or way before, but that's too timey-wimey.

My explanations seemed to be confusing Riku more, so I began to walk up the steps "Lets just see if the people were looking for are alive or dead, ok?" I didn't bother to mention that only those whose souls were sent to the farplane by a summoner usually turned up here. Like most magic, it was probably based off of belief, so as long as I convinced Riku it worked, he would believe it would, and hopefully function the way it was meant to. I honestly had no idea if the farplane could conjure images of those from other worlds, with the exception of Tidus' mother appearing.

I passed through the wall that separated the farplane from the antechamber, and felt a momentary resistance as I went through. Did the farplane recognize me as one of the once-dead? Was I like Auron here? No, I'm definitely alive, not re-dead, or whatever he was. Maybe it knows i'm not of this world, and doesn't like me being here.

The platform here was huge. Plenty of spaces were available without disturbing any of the other visitors. I was halfway across the platform by the time Riku went through, and he half-jogged to catch up to me so that we reached the edge at the same time. I glanced at a nearby elderly couple, and was relieved to see that the prayer was the same gesture I remembered from the game. I tured my head to Riku "Think of the person you want to see, and do this." I thought of my sister, and performed the prayer of this world. For a long moment, nothing happened, but then they pyreflies began to gather, and I was looking at my little sister. I think I gasped. I felt a tear trickle its way down my face as I looked at my sister, Hades' information now confirmed. She really was dead. As I allowed my mid to wander, her mother and our step-dad appeared beside here, all smiling at me. Riku put his hand on my shoulder, the anger replaced by sympathy "Who are they?" I gestured at the girl with curly hair "That's my little sister."

He snorted slightly, earning us some looks from the elderly couple before they turned back to their loved ones. Riku studied my face as he questioned me "What do you mean little sister? She's at least 19, and your a kid." I scoffed lightly "She's 21 actually, and I'm three years older then her. I told you, I'm an adult, I just woke up looking like a younger version of myself." He didn't look like he really believed me. I introduced him to my sister's mother and my step-dad. "They never got married, but he's been a father to me since I was about your age-" I glared at him as he opened his mouth to dispute my age "What do I have to do to convince you I'm as old as I am?" He gave me a once over "Maybe hit puberty?" I restrained myself from pointing out that I did actually have tits, thank you very much, and had had my time of the month by this point, because stuff like that doesn't really help the awkward level between two teenagers of opposing genders. Instead, I tried to think of something that would convince him.

"Maybe I could tell you about my boring job as a cashier, or recite math formulas to you. Or, wait, I could recount the two times I'm served as an assistant to a midwife-" Riku held his hands up in surrender at that "I don't need to hear about that. Look, I'm sorry, but it's really weir to think that in addition to you having died several times, your a decade older then you look, ok? I haven't' even known you for a week, but you clearly know things about me, and other worlds, that I can't explain you knowing, and that you won't explain you knowing, so just give me some time to get used to that, ok?"

That seemed more then fair "Ok. And i'll try to tone it down a few notches, but you can't deny that what I know has it uses." I turned back and smiled at the faces of my almost-family, before waving at them. They waved in return before fading away. Next, i tried to call to mind the people closest to my heart, my sweetie and the toddler with purple eyes. I performed the prayer again, but this time nothing happened. Riku looked at me expectantly, and I shrugged "Looks like my friend is alive." I was surprised about the toddler not appearing, but his name had been crossed off of Hades' list. Maybe reincarnation was enough to leave the farplane? Riku tried to summon Sora and Kairi to the farplane with no result. "How do I know if this even works for me?" I shrugged "Try to call someone who you know is dead." A moment later people I didn't know were looking back at us, but Riku's face turned away from them and they left as he stared at the ground. It was my turn to place my hand on his shoulder, and when he looked at me I could see tears barely held in check. Crap "You don't have to tell me." He shook his head, looking away from me. "Why didn't you react more to seeing you dead family?"

I didn't want to tel him I was pretty sure that they would all come back in a few weeks/months when Sora did the deed in Kingdom Hearts, so I settled for a half-truth "Don't get me wrong, I love my sister, but we haven't been close since she was like 8. I cared for my step dad, but I only knew him for a few years. He was important in my life, and knowing he was proud of the things I was doing meant something to me." I held the key on my necklace, hoping he wouldn't' poke at me about my sister's mom too much. Despite the amount of therapy I had gone to, I've never really sorted out my feelings when it comes to her "Truth time?" I glanced up at his face, which was thankfully no longer close to crying. I barely know what to do with crying girls, much less crying boys.

"The friend I'm looking for was going to the same school as me, but we weren't just boarding together. We'd been together for six years, and were planning on getting married." The look of horror on his face made me pause, so I gently reminded him that I was in my twenties. "I considered him to be my family, and was actually closer with his family then my own. I'd probably react more to seeing his siblings or parents, which is why I didn't look for them." He nodded, but I think it was too much information all at once. The farplane was clearing out, and I felt like it was time to leave. "I'm ready, if you are?" He looked behind him at the pyreflies scattered about. "...I'll catch up. I...it's not really them, right?" I nodded, confused about where he was going with this. "Even if it's not really them, there are things I want to say." He looked pointedly at me, and I realized he wanted some privacy. Oh. I nodded "Ok, I'll meet you back at the room later."

It was the end of sunset when I exited, and instead of heading straight back to the room I decided to walk along the moonflow again. Sunset was beautiful, and as night began to fall I watched the pyreflies, feeling true wonder for the first time in a long time. It was almost like seeing snow for the first time, but even that had been overshadowed by the fat that the first time I had seen snow we had been going to take care of the affairs of my recently deceased grandfather. Watching the pyreflies, I felt like the kid I appeared to be, and walked out into the water a bit. It was cool, but not cold, and the pyreflies seemed happy to have someone dancing with them. I giggled and danced, relaxing into this fantasy, and only stopped when I heard a throat clearing behind me.

Riku had a weird look on his face, and I realized that I was almost up to my waist in the water with ethereal creatures still dancing around me, one on a shoulder and another in my hair. I smiled guiltily, only now remembering that I was supposed to be waiting in the room back at Guadosalam. "...wait, how did you find me here?" A pyrefly drifted past Riku's hair and joined the others playing along the moonflow. He watched it float past as I climbed back onto the bank, and tried to wring water out of my shorts. "It was hanging out on top of your journals in the room. I followed it here." Weird. Maybe the pyreflies recognize me as one of the dead too? I mean, I'm, alive now, but wasn't Auron also kind of alive? No, he was dead-dead. Outwardly I shrugged, but my mind was racing. The recent encounter with Hades had shaken me, and the farplane visit wasn't helping. I needed to focus on finding our friends, not living out a fantasy I'd been harboring since my grandmother sent my Final Fantasy 10 for my tenth birthday.

"...we should probably head back I guess." I was watching the moonflow as I spoke though. I honestly didn't want to leave. Was it so wrong to want to stay on Spira, enjoying the beauty of this world? But then I remembered what the pyreflies really were; souls of the dead that gathered together to form fiends and memories. Maybe I really didn't want to spend too much time around them, no matter how pretty they were. I turned around, and Riku was still giving me a weird look. "What?" He shook his head, and began the walk back to Guadosalam with me following close behind.

We checked out early the next morning, and Riku let me fly for the first stretch of time. We traded after lunch, and it's just as well because we had our first encounter with heartless ships, and it was terrifying. It's not all shield and gummi drops, it's a lot of lasers and blaring noises of the ship telling you you've taken damage, and the lasers running out so you only have regular cannon bullet things left or whatever they hell they are, and I was so relieved to reach Mitakihara city that I was tempted to ask Riku how he felt about just ditching the ship at the next opportunity so that Maleficent had no choice but to transport us with her magic. But when we landed, he whooped and spent the next fifteen minutes talking about how awesome battle in space was. Boys.

As we began our tour of the city, I couldn't help but admire how technologically advanced the city was. I'd always suspected that this world was in the future, and now I knew it had to be. The fountains were wonderful, and the air was as clean as any day in the forest after good rain, despite the large amounts of pubic transportation and regular traffic. I must not have been gawking enough, because eventually Riku asked me if I had been to this world as well. "Not really. I know the name of the city, and some history of it, but I knew Spira way better then this world. There are a couple of people here who I haven't met yet, but I know a bit about them." "Like how you knew me without meeting me?" "Yeah, kinda like that." Oops, didn't mean to admit that. Riku quietly pulled me aside out of the view of the general public down an ally. A high school girl gave us a knowing look, assuming we were going out of sight to do comply thing she couldn't see the look on Riku's face.

"Look, I know you have your reasons, but not everyone is going to accept that you know them. I'm having a hard time with it myself, how do you think whoever sis here that you already know is going to take it so well?" Honestly, I didn't, but I'd been thinking on a plan since we'd been told to look for Madoka. Where you find Madoka, Homura can't be far behind, and I think I know how to handle her. I was quite obsessed with her character, and if I play my cards right she might just help me. "Because that's just the type of girl Homura Akemi is." Riku stared at me, clearly not satisfied with my answer. I sighed, giving into his demanding stare. "Listen carefully, because I'm not going to repeat myself. Homura Akemi is a magical being that time travels through the multiverse of this world trying to save her friend." His mouth was actually hanging open.

"Er...do you know what multiverse theory is?" He shook his head, and by the time I had finished explaining it, he seemed more confused then when I had begun my explanation. "Ok, fine, never mind the theory. The point is, Homura has been reliving the same month of her lie, trying to fin the right combination of actions and words to save her friend from a fate far worse then simply dying. She's come across several irregularities during thee loops due to each cycle being slightly, or majorly different. If I can explain to her that I know a version of her already, she'll be willing to help us. And Homura's friend that she's so desperate to save is the same Madoka that Maleficent wants us to find."

Riku frowned in thought "I don't get everything that you just said, but if this Homura is so desperate to save her friend, why would she be willing to help us? If Madoka is a princess of heart, then we have to take her with us. I don't think Homura would be willing to let her friend go so easily." "Maybe, maybe not. If she is a princess of heart, then our temporarily taking her away from this place will keep her safe while Homura..." Do I explain Walpurgisnach? Then I'll have to explain the whole puella magi system, witches, and possibly Kyubey. I don't have the mental energy for this. I shook my head, suddenly more tired then I'd been in a long time "Look, I can explain this world to you all day, or we can work on finding Madoka. Do you really want a lecture about the metaphysics of this world, or do you want to look for your friends?"

We spent the rest of the day walking around, and I was ready to call it quites. No sign of Kyoko, Mami, Sayaka, Homura or Madoka. I'd almost welcome Kyubey at this point, even if his pink little eyes are the most sinister thing in this world. A creature who thinks emotions are a mental illness is not something I want in my life. We were walking around a mall, and had stopped in the food court the get some late lunch. Let's hear it for Chinese food in Japan! In my world, I'd gone to Japan shortly before my accident, so physically it had only been a few months since I'd been in this country, even if it wasn't the same Japan as my world. The food was excellent.

Riku seemed moody, but I tired not to let it get to me. How would I feel in his shoes, if I had to deal with me?...actually, he was being a much better sport about it then I was. "Hey, Riku?" He glanced up from his food, and it wasn't an entirely friendly look on his face. "...sorry. I'm not trying to be frustrating. Listen, how about you can ask me questions, and I'll try to answer them if I can, ok?" He chewed slowly, thinking carefully. I could practically see the hamster in it's wheel spinning along in his brain.

Sometimes I worry I'm not the nicest person when my thoughts go in that direction.

Finally he looked up at me, determination showing strongly "How long have you know there were worlds besides your own?" I shrugged "Most of my life, really." I just didn't think of them as literal worlds. "My grandmother taught me that every story ever told was real. Every book was the story of another world, and the author had been given the story in a dream, or lived through the story themselves in a past life. That way, all worlds could be connected, even if we could never see or visit them ourselves." He nodded slowly, and it was nice to be able to tell him the truth about something. "Didn't it drive you crazy not being able to see them though? To go on adventures in other worlds is all I've ever wanted." Again, I shrugged. "Not being able to go physically never really bothered me. I could always re-read the stories, or write my won. And besides-" I finished my drink, putting my trash back onto the tray in front of em "-my world was huge. Even if you had enough money, there wasn't enough time in one person's life to see everything."

Probably not the best thing to say to someone who regarded their own world as tiny and boring. He looked down at his drink "Do you think we could go to your world someday then? I'd like to see it." I stood up with my tray to take it to the trash. "It's gone now, remember? And besides, my world may have been big, but it wasn't a very nice world." What would Riku think of the things my people had done in their history? Maleficent may be evil, but it pales in comparison to some of the things people in my world had done. Riku apologized, but I waved it off "It's ok, I don't really consider my world to be a big loss." Besides, I was sure I could just go home with everything back to normal once Sora did the deed, so why should I worry about things? It's not like I wouldn't be getting back to my boring job and college level science courses after this was all over.

Honestly, I needed this break. I worked about 30 hours a week, and in the fall I would be taking 21 credits, so a trip to worlds I had never thought existed with a character who I always thought to be a bit boring at best wasn't the worst thing that could happen. I still didn't really think of Riku as a person, even though he was right here in front of me, eating mall food court food and talking about visiting other worlds. It was just too surreal.

"So, what do people call you in your world?" I paused, sitting back down after depositing my trey into the trash and then the top of the canister like we did back home. Was I supposed to bring the trey back to the food kiosk? Not too big an issue, surely. "Depends on who's addressing me. At my job, some people call me god." He gave me the look it deserved, but it was actually the truth. I might not like my job very much, but I was damn good at it, and helped out my co-workers enough to have a small cult following. One girl even got on her knees and prayed to me on occasion when I went to visit her in her department. It got to my head a little, but grandmother had been an important figure head in her community, and taught me how to handle adoration from those willing to follow me. "Mostly though, they just call me by my name."

If glares could burn holes through people, the chair I was sitting on would have been melting. I laughed awkwardly, holding my hands up in mock surrender. Crossing his arms, Riku looked at me in exasperation "You can't keep going around expecting everyone to call you The Recorder. You need a name." I turned back to look at him "If it's the only name I give, it's the only name people will call me." His glare intensified, and I felt guilty about withholding my name from him. It really wasn't fair that I showed up knowing his name, while he had nothing to call me but a silly title I hadn't earned. "yeah, and what are you going to do if you find your friend? Have him call you The Recorder too?" I hadn't thought about that actually. Shit. "Tell you what, after we get our friends back and their safe, I'll answer every question you have, and even tell you my real name. Oh, and even back home, there were less then five people who knew my real name, so don't act so butt hurt." "You mean they really called you The Recorder?" "Nope, they just called me by the name I got when I was adopted. I usually went by my biological last name, it was my great-grandmother's first name, and she was a really important person in her community, so almost no one was allowed to use her name either. It's not just me being a pain, sharing your name is a serious, personal thing to the people that I belong to." He actually blushed. "Sorry, i didn't realize." "It's no problem, you had no way of knowing. But stuff like this is something you need to keep in mind if you plan on traveling to other worlds; every world and culture and people have different views on things you might think are normal, everyday things."

He glanced around, before giving me a pointed look "Speaking of, why are you so open with information today? Not that I mind, but in Spira you were worried about people overhearing us, and their reactions to outsiders. Are the rules that different here?" "No, not really, but it doesn't really matter. Since time has seen passing normally for you, I can only assume that when Homura resets her time, it affects this entire world. Even if the people here overhear us, we won't be here the next time, so it doesn't really matter." At least, I think that's how it works. And if it's not, Walpurgisnach will take care of any worries these people might have about a couple of really weird foreigners.

I looked out the window, wondering how to find Madoka. I was actually hoping to meet Homura, but I had already indulged my fantasy in Spira, so I should probably focus more on the here and now. Like it or not, I was working for Maleficent, and I did have a mission here. Riku seemed antsy, so we started to walk around again, half looking for Madoka, and half looking for my friends. I was sure Sora had never been here, but I wasn't sure if Kairi was in Neverland, or if that was just somewhere Riku had stopped with her while looking for her. She probably wasn't here, Riku hadn't even been to Traverse Town yet, and he was supposed to meet up with Sora several times before finding Kairi, but it didn't hurt to keep an eye out.

Everything was normal one minute, but suddenly the area we were in began to darken. I blinked my eyes, and a weird counter existed in the flash where I had blinked, and the surrounding area was becoming strange. I had a moment of panic while Riku swung around, calling out Soul Eater "What's going on?" I almost shat myself when i realized what was happening "We're in a Witch's Labyrinth." "We're in a what?" Another blink, and the timer was almost counted down to zero. The area became more strange, and I recognized this labyrinth as Gertrudes', the first time Madoka met Mami in the timeline where Homura finally succeeded in saving Madoka. Please, don't let us be in that cycle, I silently begged, though I realized that this couldn't be it. We weren't in a basement, and Homura wasn't shooting at an injured Kyubey as Madoka and Sayaka were saved by Mami.

Gertrude's mossy face stared at us with butterfly wings extending back behind her body. I took a step back, we had no Puella Magi here to help us, and I wasn't sure it could be killed by Riku, Keyblade or no. I asked him anxiously "Can you see her?" He went into a battle stance, dodging to the side as an attack came towards him "Her? All I see is an it."

I'm just glad he can see anything. According to the anime, only magical girls and girls with the potential to become magical girls could see witches. Maybe having a magic weapon gave him an exception? Before Riku could start to fight, two blurs raced past us. "I told ja there was a witch in the area!" Kyoko? "Let's just end this." A voice that cold could only be Homura. But in what timeline were they a fighting duo? It only took a few moments for the two of them to take down the witch, and then we were in the awkward position of explaining how Riku, a boy, could see witches, and what the heck we though we were doing here.

I approached Homura for a handshake, quietly asking her as our hands touched "Would you mind giving the two of us a moment?" She stared at me, emotions traveling across her face in rapid succession. I judged that she hadn't done too many cycles if she was still showing her feelings this much, and suddenly the air was too still, and there were no noises around us. "don't let go of my hand-" "-or I'll be lost forever, I know." Her hand convulsed in mine as she fought the instinct to get away from someone who knew what was happening. "Whoa there, sorry, please don't loose me to the void, ok?"

I smiled at her, genuinely happy to meet her "It's nice to meet you for the first time, Homura Akemi." Her face hardened "What do you mean? How do you know my name?"

The great thing about having so much knowledge about other world and its inhabitants coupled with an overactive imagination is that you eventually think of ways you would interact with the people if you could ever meet them. "You've been reliving the same month over and over, surely I'm not your first irregularity. Although-" I looked at Kyoko "I've never heard of you two working together like this. Tell me, is Mami still around? Has Sayaka contracted? Is Madoka human?"

Homura's face became paler with every word I said, until I was worried she might leave me here after all. "Explain yourself." I nodded, holding her hand in both of mine "I know your story, Homura. How you gave up everything, how you relived the same time over and over again, how you found a way to save her." Her face relaxed at last "I saved her?" I nodded "You will Homura." Maybe not in the way you wanted, but I can't really tell her about becoming a demon, now, can I? "Listen, Homura, were friends of a sort. Well, not friends really, but were on the same side." "And what side would that be?" "The one where the incubators are stopped." She actually smiled at that. "I see. Allies then." I nodded. "Allies is a good word for it. Listen, Homura." I looked at Kyoko "Will you please trust me?" I watched the struggle on her face, and decided to play my hand "Homura, have you done more then ten cycles?" She hesitated before nodding. Good, then she knew the entire truth behind the incubators. "I know what magical girls really are Homura. I know that Sayaka almost always becomes a witch, and that Kyoko usually dies fighting her. I know that Mami can't handle the truth, and tries to kill everyone. I know that no one believes you, but, Homura-" She was crying now, and i didn't know if she as scared or relieved "-I know your telling the truth. It's all going to be ok, I promise, you just have to keep believing, and trying, and not fall into despair-"

I almost fall down as Homura threw herself at me, sobbing into my shoulder. I'm not good around crying girls, crying anyone really, but I knew I had her trust now. After a few minutes, she calmed down, and carefully wiped her tears away while maintaining contact with me. "Mami is gone. Sayaka is missing, probably about to turn into a witch. I'm helping Kyoko look for her. If we find Sayaka in time, Kyoko will probably die again, and there won't be anyone left to help me fight." I smiled at her "And Madoka?" "Madoka wants to help us, it's so hard to keep her from contracting. But you said I can save her?" The raw desperation in her eyes was hard to look at. "Homura, I can't tell you how, or when, but yes, you save her."

Homura nodded in determination. "Alright then. I understand. I know that telling the future doesn't help, so I'll accept that you can't tell me. This is the first time I've met you, but you've met me before,haven't you?" I nodded "In a matter of speaking, yes, though I'm not sure you'll be able to remember it later." Mostly truth. Half-lies are the easiest, and Homura is desperate enough to want to believe what I'm telling her now. "Homura, can I ask you a favor?" She nodded, caution returning to her demeanor as she tried to collect herself. "Will you let me meet Madoka? I've always wondered what sort of person she is." Homura's face took on a dreamy quality "She's the best kind of person in all the world. Yes, I'll take you to meet her. One one condition." Her eyes were so fierce, it startled me "Promise me that if you are able to, you will protect Madoka Kaname." I nodded, afraid to do anything else with the look she was giving me." She nodded, satisfied, and her cool mask returned to her face "Then it's decided." Time restarted, and she let go of my hand.

It was strange feeling the air move again, the noises returning to the background. The sudden stimulation was enough that I had to sit down for a moment, and I looked at Homura in awe. "How do you stand it?" She shrugged. "You become accustomed to such things." Kyoko." The red head turned to face her companion, a look of curiosity on her face "I suggest we split up in our search for Sayaka Miki. We can cover more ground that way." "What about these two?" She gestured towards Riku and myself "They aren't normal, I tell ya! They can't be trusted-" "Kyoko Sakura." Kyoko shut up immediately, and it was impressive. "Sayaka Miki is in danger, and need sour help. Her soul gem is heavily tainted, and we are wasting time. I will take care of these two here. In the meantime, you should continue searching. I will rejoin you when I am able." Kyoko shot her a dirty look before setting off. Riku didn't look much happier then Kyoko until I turned to him and relayed that Homura would be letting us meet Madoka.

Turning back to Homura, I debated on the best move here. "Do you want us to help you find Sayaka?" She shook her head "By the time we find her, it will already be too late. It always is." She pulled out her phone and called Madoka. After telling Madoka that she and Kyoko still hadn't found Sayaka, Madoka declared that she would find her herself and hung up on Homura. "That fool! She's going to get herself killed. Come on!" Riku and I followed after Homura after exchanging a look. I knew what was going on, Riku didn't, and even though he should be used to it by now he was still pissed. But hey, this was Homura's game, and if she wanted to explain what was going on a second time, then she could. "You could have included me in your little time stop exchange." I hadn't thought of that, and apologized. I seemed to have to do that a lot when it came to Riku. It began to rain, and Homura was walking slower now, probably trying to remember where Madoka was supposed to be.

I was just glad we weren't running anymore. I wasn't in shape for this kind of crap. Suddenly, Sayaka was storming past us, telling Homura to piss off and leave her alone. Homura might have gone after her, but there was a bus stop nearby, and we could all hear Madoka crying. Two crying girls in one day, my luck is going down the drain. But this is Mitakihara City, I should have been prepared for tears. Homura managed to calm Madoka down, promising that she she had sent Kyoko after Sayaka, and that Kyoko would be able to help her. Madoka accepted this with a small smile, and then noticed us standing behind Homura "Oh, Homura, are thee friends of yours?" She nodded, and we introduced ourselves. "I'm Riku." "Madoka Kaname, please to meet you." "I'm The Recorder." Blank stares all around. I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, realizing that the name I'd picked out wasn't working as well as i had hoped. Maybe I should pick out a new name, like Ellie or Anemone or something.

Madoka, bless her heart, extended a hand towards me as well, deciding to accept that some foreigners just had strange names. Oh, right, her heart. I focused, and was able to sense her heart after a moment. Homura's was easier, it held more darkness then light, but the light that was there was so bright it hurt to look at. Madoka was mostly the same bright light, but there was a speck of darkness that I was able to recognize as Homura's. Interesting; just as Madoka was Homura's light, Homura was Madoka's darkness. I glanced at Riku, and he nodded, he had seen it to. Madoka wasn't who we were looking for. I smiled at Madoka, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I really was glad to meet her. "It's nice to meet you, Madoka Kaname. Homura speaks highly of you." Homura and Madoka both blushed a bit, but the happy moment was broken as Homura's head whipped around suddenly "Kyoko!"

Oh, right, telepathy between magical girls, I forgot. "Madoka, stay here. Keep her safe" The last was directed at Riku and myself, as Homura transformed and took off, presumably to try to save Kyoko from Sayaka's witch form. The three of us stood awkwardly for a moment, before all sitting down on the bench, agreeing to wait with Madoka until Homura returned. "Do you think they found Sayaka?" I tried not to think about it. If they had, she was probably already a witch, and Kyoko might also die. Luckily, Riku broke the silence for me "They probably did. I'm sure your friend is fine, Homura doesn't seem like the kind of person to let someone down."

After several minutes, we heard footsteps approaching. Madoka jumped to her feet, hope lighting her face for a moment, only to be replaced with sudden uncertainty. "...Sayaka?" Sayaka Miki was approaching us, walking with her entire figure slumped over. Madoka ran forward to her friend, and I suddenly saw that Sayaka's hand was holding her darkened soul gem. I ran after Madoka "Wait madoka, it isn't safe!" Sayaka looked up at Madoka, tears streaming down her face "I was stupid...so stupid..."

The three of us were pulled into a witch's labyrinth, and were about to face Oktavia von Seckendorff without the help of Homura or Kyoko, who were off who knows where. I wondered whether Homura would realize in time and come back to save Madoka, or if this was another irregularity that she hadn't planned for, as I took a defensive stance in front of Madoka and Riku called forth his weapon. Riku began to battle Oktavia's minions as I used my shield technique to keep the wheels from hurting Madoka. I guess we would find out if a keyblade could hurt a witch after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Madoka's Heart  
or  
My Second Big Mistake

Turns out that a keyblade can take out familures, but Riku was having a heard time attacking the witch itself. He tried to use magic at it, but dodging the wheels was taking most of his attention, and we had already used up all five of our potions. I began to draw Madoka back with me. "Riku! Let's fall back for now, it can't leave the labyrinth!" Riku took me at my word, and we defended Madoka as we slowly backed away from Oktavia. Madoka was crying, calling out Sayaka's name as we escaped. I put my hands on her shoulder's, knowing Kyubey would be showing up soon. I had made a promise to Homura, and I would try to protect her from making a wish. "It's alright Madoka, Sayaka can still be saved." "She-she can?"

I felt like an ass lying to Madoka, her hope shinning through her tears. This Sayaka was already dead, but Sayaka was saved eventually, kind of. I was saved from further reassurances by a heartless getting cleaved in half mere inches from us by Riku, who almost hadn't noticed it in time. "We have bigger problems then your friend." I wanted to reprimand Riku, how would he feel if that was Sora or Kairi? But he was right, heartless were surrounding us. Homura and Kyoko appeared seemingly out of thing air, and in the same moment all the surrounding heartless went up in a combination of gunshots and slashes that had happened in the moment of time Homura had trapped them in.

"Madoka!" Homura went straight to the pink-haired girl, who was still softly crying. "Are you alright?" "I'm ok, but Sayaka?" Kyoko turned towards the crying girl she had been trying to ignore "You found Sayaka?" Madoka nodded, looking towards the place we had exited the labyrinth "She found us. But-" Kyoko didn't wait for her to finish, and dived straight into the labyrinth. "Kyoko, you damn fool!" Homura seemed torn between staying with Madoka and going to keep Kyoko from dying. If Kyoko died, she would have to face Walpurgisnacht alone. If she saved Kyoko, Kyubey might take advantage of the situation and trick Madoka, who could very well become Kriemhild Gretchen with her current state of despair. I put a protective arm around Madoka, who looked at me in confusion as I maintained eye contact with Homura "Go, save Kyoko. I'll-" I glanced at Riku "-We'll protect Madoka." Homura paused, judging me, then took off after Kyoko.

Riku walked over to us "Ok, what just happened?" I shook my head, looking pointedly at Madoka. Unfortunately... "Sayaka Miki allowed her soul gem to become tainted beyond repair, and has become a witch." I turned to see the most adorable little white and fluffy pink bunny cat- ok, no, those eyes will give me nightmares for the rest of my life. How did anyone every trust this adorable thing that clearly packages pure evil? The eyes are windows to the soul, and I wanted to run screaming from this thing once we made eye contact. The fact that it was speaking directly into our minds made me want to find an internal shower, I'll never be clean again.

Riku, however, did not share my brilliant insight, and merely seemed serious about the wanna be Pokemon. "Who are you?" Kyubey tilted its head at Riku, as close to being surprised as a soulless creature with no emotions could be "Curious. How is it that you, a human male, are able to see me? Have you somehow made a contract like the other irregularity, Homura Akemi?" Riku seemed confused "Contract?" Kyubey came closer to Riku, circling him slowly as if for inspection "A wish for which you would trade your soul, in exchange for unbelievable powers." Riku summoned his weapon "You mean this? I didn't make any wish, and I didn't give up my soul." Danger Will Robinson, danger! I cleared my throat slightly, Kyubey was way too interested in the keyblade "Riku made a contract of a different nature, incubator. It's a matter of the...heart."

Kyubey eyed Riku for a long, long moment, and I wondered if it was using it's abilities to sift through Riku's thoughts and memories. "Ah, yes, Kingdom Hearts and the keyblades. I have been waiting a long time for someone of your nature to find me on this world. It's a pity that you don't have the potential to become a magical girl. Though I suppose it would be a magical boy in your case." Riku swiped his weapon through the air as he gestured in anger in confusion "What is that supposed to mean?" Madoka's tears had stopped, and her confusion had her tugging at my sleeve, asking questions I could afford to pay attention to, not now with Kyubey clearly plotting.

Kyubey walked over to us, circling my own ankles and including Madoka's in his circling "You, however are like Madoka, and have the potential to contract. Have you had contact with others of my kind?" Don't kick it like a football, resist the temptation "In a matter of speaking, yes." Kyubey paused in its circling, making eye contact with me as he spoke into my mind "Would you like to make a contract? Do you have a wish that you would trade your soul for?" I made a fist with my hand, trying to control my anger "Why, so you can use my despair to keep your universe from dying? Is that even what your really using magical girls for?" Kyubey turned to look at Madoka, who was openly gaping at me now. "Madoka, your friend Sayaka Miki has become a witch. Would you like to use your wish to make her a magical girl again?" Madoka's eyes began to tear again "I could save Sayaka?" I put myself in front of Madoka, breaking her eye contact with the contractor "Don't be fooled, Madoka! Once a magical girl turns into a witch, nothing can change her back. Her soul gem is gone!"

Kyubey walked away from us, and I realized it had stopped raining. When had that happened? "Such a pity, but not entirely true. Madoka has such a great potential, her wish might be enough to restore Sayaka Miki." Madoka looked at the ground, contemplating her options. "Madoka, think about what Sayaka would want. She wouldn't want you to throw your life away just for a chance at saving her!" Madoka didn't seem to hear me, she was still looking at the ground. "Sayaka..."

"Perhaps more extreme measures are needed. Homura Akemi will be busy for some time dealing with the witch that Sayaka Miki has become, and won't be able to interfere this time." Kyubey hoped down off of the bench, and walked forward. Darkness began pooling where his footsteps had been, and a swarm of heartless I had never encountered before began to appear around us. They seemed similar to some of the familures of this world, but more substantial, and less cartoony, as if being outside of the barrier had made them stronger and more real. I pulled Madoka behind me, only to realize that we were surrounded.

Kyubey sat atop one of the familures, looking like the cat that ate the cream. "Really, what is a witch but a person who has succumbed to the darkness of their heart? The word you use for them doesn't matter, they are all the same beings, and the entropy these beings, these Heartless, displace through their birth, and the additional energy released upon their return to Kingdom Hearts, is almost comparable to that the full magical girl cycle. But with one major difference." I pushed Madoka back, landing her safely on the other side of the barriers that were rising into place around the area. Madoka put her hands on the barrier, confusion written on her face "Recorder, what's happening?" I turned towards Kyubey, who was surrounded by darkness "...Kyubey is summoning the heartless, and using the darkness in his own heart." Riku drew his weapon, and I suddenly saw the real trap that had been sprung.

Kyubey could continue to summon heartless indefinitely, while Riku was the only one of us who could fight. Unless Riku could take out Kyubey, either Madoka or I would be forced to contract out of necessity. Or we could all just die. i think one of us would contract firs, though. I turned towards Madoka "Go into the witch's labyrinth, and tell Homura what's happened!" Madoka nodded slowly "O-okay!" She took off at a run, more heartless appearing outside of the barrier to chase after her.

"Riku, go after Kyubey! If you don't take him out, the heartless will just keep appearing!" In a game, this would be a wonderful opportunity to power level, but we were already out of potions. Oh, and we could actually die. Even if Homura reset the timeline, it would be an alternative timeline, and no help to us. Riku tried, but he was badly outnumbered. I took my necklace off, and held it in one hand, before running towards where he was, briefly using my shield as the heartless attempted to attack me, only for them to bounce harmlessly away. Thankfully, it did a small amount of damage as well. I reached Riku, and stood back to back with him. "Ok, new plan, let's try thinning down their numbers a bit."

Riku managed to take down a fair number of them while I kept them from surrounding us, and once there were only a few handfuls left he returned his attentions to Kyubey while I tried to keep the other heartless from getting any closer. Once Kyubey had taken a significant amount of damage, he summoned another horde to wear us down. Riku's health must have been getting pretty low, and I'd been assuming that my shield was an ability at first but now I'm sure it was actually magic, because it was getting harder to call it forth. My MP must be running out, and then I'll be useless in this fight. We stood back to back again, both of us worn down. Riku turned his head slightly to address me as we tried to keep all our enemies in sight "Got a plan C?" I shook my head, pulling another shield as several heartless jumped towards us "I'm out of ideas."

"Recorder...Riku..." We turned, and saw Madoka standing inside of the blocked off area. How had she gotten in here? "Madoka?" She was holding her hands over her heart, and when she looked up at us here eyes were shadowed with darkness. From behind her a person in the clock of Organization XIII appeared, holding a sword that was as tall as Madoka and wide enough that even Riku could have hidden most of his body behind it. Madoka slowly lowered her arms, and opened her hands, revealing two soul gems, one purple and one red. Sayaka and Homura! I took a step towards her, forgetting everything else "Madoka, what are you doing!?"

The man in the cloak stabbed his sword down into the ground, generating two pools of darkness at Madoka's feet. Kyubey walked forward, addressing the stranger. "Kerxed, what are you doing here? This wasn't part of our agreement." The stranger, Kerxed, pulled his sword out of the ground, and pointed it at Kyubey. "Change of plan." He impaled Kyubey, taking him out in one hit. Riku and I took a step back. We hadn't even managed to seriously hurt Kyubey, and this guy had taken him out in one shot. We were so fucked. The man picked up Kyubey's corpse, and dropped it into one of the pools of darkness. The ground rumbled, and I fell to my knees. After a few moments, a large figure came out of the ground. It was nearly ten feet tall, and where Kyubey's fur had been white, this creature had black fur. The pink markings remained, and those horrifying pink eyes were now the same heartless yellow as the rings around it's ears. Maybe I should have made a contract when I had the chance.

Kerxed seemed satisfied with his work, opening a portal to leave. He looked over his shoulder, and waved. "Have fun with that Emmy." I dropped my necklace, eyes wide. Only two people had ever used that nickname, and one of them was dead. I ran after him, knowing I would never reach him before the portal closed. "Wait!" And he was gone. Riku yelled "Recorder!", and threw my necklace to me. I caught it purely out of reflex, and barely had a second to use it as Madoka sent a sphere of darkness towards me. "Madoka, what-" Then I saw her eyes clearly.

In her goddess form, the yellow eyes seemed just fine and dandy. But this Madoka was a heartless, and had the soul gems of the only two people who could have helped us. I looked towards Riku, who was dodging an attack from what used to be Kyubey, before turning back to Madoka. I had to somehow get the soul gems back from her, get into the labyrinth, and get help. "Riku, try to hold on, I'm going to get Homura and Kyoko back!" "What?" Oh, right, he doesn't know about the soul gems. "I'll explain later, just trust me and try not to die!" I tackled Madoka, and managed to grab one of the soul gems from her. A glance downwards showed it to be Kyoko's, and I took off at a run towards the barrier. With Kyoko's soul gem in one hand and my key in the other, I slammed both my fists into the barrier and screamed for it to open.

I was so surprised when it did, I fell flat on my face. Which was the only thing that saved me from Madoka's attack, another sphere of darkness that probably would have taken my head off. I took off at a run, and enter the labyrinth.

Inside, Oktavia Von Seckendorff was tearing the last bits of Kyoko's barrier apart. I hurried forward, and as I approached, Kyoko began to stand, seeming disoriented "What..." I came to her side, and handed her her soul gem. She took it automatically "Thanks, I owe you one. What the hell happened to Madoka?" I shrugged, looking for Homura "I think she lost her heart to the darkness. Kind of like what happened to Sayaka, but since she doesn't have a soul gem, the despair transformed her heart instead." Or something like that. The metaphysics of this world were still way beyond me.

Kyoko seemed to accept my explanation, and walked over to where Homura's body lay. She brought Homura to me, before taking a few steps back, and erecting another barrier between us and her, while Oktavia destroyed the last of the first barrier. "Take Homura back. If anyone can save Madoka, it's her." I got Homura into a sort of piggy back, watching as Kyoko turned to what used to be Sayaka. "What about you?" She transformed, and brought out her weapon. "I'll take care of Sayaka." I nodded, knowing that this was how Kyoko usually left this world, and hurried back to where Riku was fighting not only Kyubey, but maybe also the possessed Madoka. Crap.

As we exited the labyrinth, Homura began to stir, now close enough to her soul gem to be able to use her body again. She looked around slowly, as if waking up from a dream, then became instantly alert. "Madoka!" She took off at a run, tackling the girl just before she would have killed Riku, who was blocking another attack from Kyubey. He glanced behind him where Homura and Madoka were scuffling, Homura trying to get her soul gem back from Madoka, and yelled at me "About time you got back!" He pushed harder with Soul Eater, and renewed his attack on Kyubey's heartless. I watched the two fights from a slight distance, knowing I would only be in the way.

"Kerxed betrayed us, and tried to use our powers to plunge this world into darkness. While the heartless do create a good amount of energy, and Kingdom Hearts would serve our purposes well, it's clear that he has no intentions of helping us save the universe." Kyubey walked to my side, joining me in watching the battle. I glanced down at the incubator "I take it he didn't know you had more then one body?" Kyubey continued to watch the battle, Homura finally getting her soul gem back from Madoka and transforming into a magical girl. "No. Though I would like to know where you came about such knowledge, now is not the time." Homura was now trying to help Riku fight the heartless Kyubey, Madoka laying unconscious on the ground. "Do you know who this 'cursed' is?" I asked, trying to pronounce it the way I had heard Kyubey say it. Kyubey shook his head, watching as together Homura and Riku were making progress in the battle.

"My other body holds that knowledge, and with the way that man contaminated it, I may not be able to recover the memories and knowledge it held. What a waste." Homura was knocked back suddenly, and landed beside Madoka, seemingly unconscious. It was just Riku again, and I wasn't sure he was up to the challenge. I turned towards Kyubey "Tell me Kyubey, what do you want with Kingdom Hearts?" Kyubey inspected me "Why, the infinite amount of darkness it holds would be enough to fuel the universe almost indefinitely. In addition, the darkness seems to be generating faster then the universe is degenerating, and if we could obtain it, then we would have a perfect system to replace all the others we are currently using in it's place."

I'm so glad this isn't the universe where Homura saves Madoka. The incubators are frightening enough with only magical girls and witches, they don't need Kingdom Hearts. "Your friend is going to die." Unfortunately, Kyubey was right. Riku couldn't take down this heartless on his own, and Homura was down for the count. I heard a noise behind me, and two grief seeds rolled down to rest against my shoe. I picked them up, and recognized the designs as Sayaka's and Kyoko's. There was no other help coming, and only a magical girl would be allowed to hold onto these. Kyubey seemed to be reading my thoughts. "Yes, a magical girl could indeed keep those. Will you let your friend die, or will you do something to help him?"

Riku was down on one knee, Soul Eater held loosely in one hand. I hadn't ever really thought of Riku as a real person. But now, as he was about to die, I realized that even though I had been trying to to interfere, Riku wasn't supposed to die here, so I must have changed something. I knew what a contract would mean for me, but what other choice did I have? And hadn't I been thinking earlier that I should have contracted while I still had the chance. "Alright Kyubey, I'll make a contract with you. But first, tell me, do I have enough karma, or whatever you call it, for my wish to be granted?" Kyubey tilted his head, considering carefully. I quickly added "I'm going to contract anyways, obviously. I'm just going to make a different wish depending on your answer. Kyubey seemed to come to a decision "Since your going to do it no matter what, I suppose telling you the truth won't change anything. The wish you are thinking of can be granted, but it will have consequences you could never imagine."

Good enough for me. I took a deep breath, and pulled my necklace back on, holding onto it tightly as I made the second big mistake since leaving my own world. I didn't have a lot of time, but I worded it as carefully as I could knowing I would already be granted near immortality, a weapon and basic magical abilities. "I wish I could learn the magical abilities of the worlds and people I will encounter as I journey." I felt a rending sensation in my body, and saw a silver light emerge from my body I reached out towards it as I felt myself falling, and managed to close my hands around the light. I heard Riku yelling distantly, and I think Homura was yelling at me too, but all I heard was Kyubey's voice saying "Your wish has been granted, you have been granted the power of knowledge."

* * *

Learned : Stop

Learned: Scan

* * *

I sat up slowly, the world around me seemed to have stopped. Homura's still form was cradling Madoka protectively, and Riku was stuck mid-dodge, evading another of the heartless Kyubey's attacks. I could suddenly see everyone's health. Riku's and Homura's were in my upper vision, as well as above his body, while the heartless Kyubey's was visible only when I looked directly at it. he had about two bars of health left, Riku and Homura had taken out three together. Homura's health was almost zero, which made sense since she had been K.O'd, and Riku had about a third of his health left.

I looked down at the egg in my hand. It was a soft silver color, almost kitten-fur grey. I held it close, and felt a change come over me.

I'm not a skirt person, so I was relieved that there were some shorts on under the rest of the skirts. The bottom half of my outfit resembled Lenne's songstress outfit, but instead of having only half of the longer part of the skirt it extended most of the way around my body into a three quarters skirt, leaving only the front portion open. My midriff was covered by a corset similar to Aqua's, and the rest of the top left my collarbones, shoulders and forearms bare, covering the rest with a soft grey material that looked like the top half of a princess-y dress.

My soul gem was on the inside of my left wrist, in the shape of what some people call a shamrock that I've always associated with the club symbol used in a deck of cards. The shoes were mercifully just black ankle bots with no heels. I was uncomfortable enough with wearing the skirt and three quarters, I'm not sure what to do with heels.

In my hand I held a staff of redwood. I looked at it in disappointment, was I supposed to just beat my enemies to death with a piece of wood? Time began to move again, and I could almost hear Homura's voice, watching her lips move in slow motion. I think she was calling me an idiot. I realized as Riku's dodge began to move forward again that he was trying to move towards me. Was he trying to stop me? If so, it was way too late.

As time restated itself, I stumbled slightly, my inner ear complaining about the differences in space between time stopping and going. Riku caught my arm, looking furious. "Why did you do that if you know whats going to happen to you?" I held up the two grief seeds in my hand "These will buy me time. Besides, what was I supposed to do, just wait for that thing to kill you and then die?" He removed his hand from my arm, turning to face the heartless boss. "I could have handled it." I took a step forward, and held the staff in a battle ready stance "Oh please, you need the help and you know it."

Riku charged forward, slashing at the enemy. I went around to the other side, hoping to flank this giant Kyubey, and went to smash it with my staff. Much to my surprise, a blade shot out of the smashing end, turning it into a slashing end. My staff could turn into a scythe. Cool. I grinned fiercely, twirling the weapon around my head and using my new magical girl senses to make up for what I lacked in experience, and began to slash at the heartless in earnest.

With the two of us working together, it only took about twenty minutes to finish off the giant Kyubey. As it began to dissipate into nothingness, I collapsed to my knees, letting myself revert to my normal self. "We-we did it." Riku sat down heavily, arms out behind him trying to keep himself propped up. "Yeah..." Homura approached us, Madoka laying on the ground behind her, still unconscious. "You are a fool, recorder." I nodded, agreeing with her. "Yeah, it was a pretty stupid thing to do." She seemed unsure how to continue, I think she was expecting me to argue with her. "But then, you made your wish to save a friend too, so you can't really lecture me, can you?" Her hands curled into fists, and she took a step forward "I made my wish to save someone. You wished for power, it's not the same thing!"

I got to my feet unsteadily, most of my energy spent after my first transformation "I knew that merely being a magical girl would be enough to help save my friend. Wishing to be a magical girl is pointless, so I did the logical thing and made my wish count. Tell me, what should I have done instead?" My voice was steadily raising, and I felt the first tears begin to fall down my face. I was as good as dead now, but if I had done nothing I would have already died. Stupid, stupid, stupid, but there were no other options. What would have been a spectacular fight between myself and Homura was interrupted by Madoka's screams.

She was writhing on the ground, clutching at her chest. "Madoka!" Homura ran to her side, trying to hold the convulsing girl still "Madoka! Madoka!" Madoka went still, her screams stopping just as suddenly as they had started. That's when we noticed the heartless next to her, holding Madoka's heart. It crushed it, causing Madoka to go limp and unresponsive. Homura screamed, and clutched the girl close to her, crying.

The heartless went to Kyubey, holding out the remains of the heart to the incubator. I watched in disbelief as the Keyhold of the world appeared in the air, and Kyubey did something to it, causing darkness to begin to pour from it "Who would have thought they key to this world was that girl's heart? It certainly explains her potential as a magical girl." Homura set Madoka's body down, and puled a gun out of her shield . "Why you-!" She shoot at the incubator, but the bullets glanced off harmlessly to the side. Homura pulled her shield up, and tied to stop time, but nothing happened. She stared at her shield in shock "But why...?"

Kyubey sat contentedly, watching the darkness continue to fall from the keyhole as the world began to break apart "Your powers are tied to this world and Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi. With Madoka's heart being the center of this world, and now consumed by darkness, there is nothing you powers can do to change things!" A giant wave of darkness shot out, blowing the three of us back. Madoka's body seemed unaffected, and simply lay on the ground where she had lost her heart.

Riku's hand on my shoulder brought me back to the current situation "We have to go!" He shouted over the storm that was beginning to engulf the world of Mitakihara City. I wondered if this was what it had been like when his world was destroyed? "What about Homura!' I yelled back, pointing to the girl. Homura charged at Kyubey again, only to be blown back by the tide of darkness flowing out of the keyhole. We were pushed back as well, and could only watch as Kyubey entered the keyhole. "This world has served it's purpose. Farewell!"

Homura looked at Madoka's lifeless body, tears streaming down her face. "Madoka!" I turned to Riku "Get the ship, I'm right behind you." He stared at me for a moment, then nodded, taking off at a run. I put my hands on Homura's shoulders, shaking her slightly to try to get her attention "We can't help Madoka right now. This world is falling apart, we have to go!' Homura shook me off, screaming in my face "I won't leave her!" She touched her soul gem briefly, and it darkened significantly "It's too late for me to help Madoka now, I know that. But I can't leave her here alone!" I wanted to scream at her, couldn't she see that Madoka was already gone? Homura reached up, tucking my hair behind my ear as she did something that left a sharp pain in my ear. "Take this and go. If you ever need me, I'll be able to help you." She turned and dropped her soul gem on the ground, shattering it. She staggered slightly, then walked towards where Madoka lay, setting herself down beside her friend.

She held Madoka against her, as she made eye contact with me. "Use that if you ever need my powers, and I'l help you. You tried to save Madoka, and for that I owe you. Now go, before it's too late!" As if to help punctuate her words, the storm grew worse, blowing me backwards until I was flying through the air. I hit my head on something, and knew no more.

I woke up lying on a bunk in the gummi ship. I sat up slowly, feeling a throbbing my my head. "Ow..."

There was a noise from the cockpit area, and a moment later Riku was next to me, looking worried "Are you ok?" I nodded slowly, regretting moving my head "I think I have a concussion, but yeah, I'm ok." I opened my eyes slowly, feeling a little guilty. Sure, I'd been unconscious, but Riku had been hurt in the fight too, and could probably use the rest more then I could. "Are you ok? What happened?" Riku explained that he had gone back to look for me after I moving the ship as close to where he had left me and Homura as he could. When he got back, I had been unconscious about three blocks away from the sphere of darkness that the world was collapsing into. Homura and Madoka had been in the center of that sphere, with a dark crystal-like enclosure surrounding the two girls. I speculated that Homura must have used the last of her soul gem to erect the crystal, to keep their bodies safe as their world died. "Not quite." I looked at Riku in confusion, the pounding in my head intensifying as I tried to concentrate on our conversation. "What do you mean?" He pointed to my ear, and I automatically reached up towards it.

I touched an earring, and knew from the feel of it that it was shaped in the same diamond as Homura's soul gem. "Homura gave you a piece of her power. If the soul gem is something created from her heart, then she isn't gone yet, she's still here, with you." I held up my own soul gem, looking at the egg. It was cloudy, but not too dark yet. More stormy grey then kitten fur, but I wasn't too worried about it. I held it up, and used some of the power inside of it to fix my concussion, darkening it further. Riku frowned, and I apologized "Sorry, but it's better then dealing with a concussion." He shrugged, heading back to the cockpit. "Get some more sleep. I'll wake you up when we get back to Spira."

I wanted to argue that he should take a turn resting, but my eyes were suddenly heavy. I put the egg shape of my soul gem on my necklace, and felt in my pocket for the two grief seeds of Kyoko and Sayaka, trying to remember that since their world had fallen to darkness, it should be restored when Sora closed the door. I silently promised Homura that I would restore Madoka's heart so she could reset her timeline, and continue towards her goal of saving Madoka. The gem in my ear seemed to respond slightly to my promise, and I felt a small tingle of emotion through the haze of exhaustion claiming me as I fell asleep.

* * *

Learned : Heal

Learned Summon: Homura

* * *

Kerxed approached Maleficent, bowing slightly. "The girl has taken the first step towards losing her heart to the darkness. It's only a matter of time before her heart is corrupted by despair, and she becomes a much more useful tool." Maleficent turned towards the figure approaching her, Diaval the crow resting on top of her staff. "And the boy?" Kerxed bowed slightly "Needing help to overcome a battle has shown him how powerless he is. He'll be that much more motivated to become stronger now. The darkness in his heart is growing, all that's left is to remove the light of his friends from it."

Maleficent waved her staff in a slow circle, creating a film of hazy green smoke. Inside the circle of smoke, Sora, Donald and Goofy appeared, leaving the world of Olympus Colosseum. "It shouldn't be too difficult to convince the boy that his friend has replaced him. All that remains is to locate his other friend. She'l be harder to eliminate from his heart, but with only one light left, the darkness will be better able to take him." Maleficent laughed, and Diaval joined her with his cawing.

Kerxed turned to leave, opening another portal "Don't forget, the girl is mine. You can keep the boy, but I have a score to settle with her." Maleficent nodded "Of course. I get what I want, and you get what you want."

* * *

I woke up after about an hour, unable to fall back asleep. After memorizing the curved wall next to the bunk was in, I gave up and walked to the cockpit. Riku didn't seem to notice me until I spoke. "Was it like that, when your world ended?" He jumped, turning wide startled eyes to me. "Where did you come from?" I pointed to the back of the ship. "Were you asleep?" He frowned, looking a little guilty "No." "I can fly if you want to sleep until we get to Spira?" He shook his head. I'm not sure if it was my limited experience piloting, or if he just didn't want to sleep. We continued in uneasy silence for along while, until he answered my question.

"I don't know if it was like that when my world ended. I got out of there before it was to that stage. What was it like on your world?" I shrugged, suddenly very interested in looking out the window. "I have no idea. If it wasn't for visiting Hades and that trip to the farplane, I might think it was still out there. There was no ball of darkness in the sky, and things weren't falling apart, just reported sightings of heartless." Not that any of us were told what was happening, just that something was happening.

"So, back with Hades...what's a Nmi?" I shrugged "What do they call people where your from?" He looked confused "Uh...people?" I laughed at that, not caring that it was making him mad. "Where I'm from, there's so many different kinds of people, they make up names for themselves to distinguish themselves from others." I hesitated, but if Riku and I were friends now, then I should trust him, right? And besides, who was he going to tell? I highly doubted that he'd ever see my world, even after it was restored. "The Nmi were my grandmother's people." He raised an eyebrow. "Your Grandmother's? Not yours?" I played with my hair, not wanting to meet his eyes. "I grew up with my grandfather and grandmother for a few years, before they gave me to my mother's sister, who couldn't have her own child." He was watching me now, eyes intent on a story that I didn't really like sharing. "Why did they give you to your aunt? I mean, I get that she couldn't have her own kids, but-" "Half-aunt." I corrected automatically. "She had her own daughter about a year after he got me, and then she was stuck with me. My mother was pregnant with twins, and my father was away when she gave birth. It was early, or he probably would have been there." I sighed, and made eye contact with Riku.

"Every family had a characteristic that marked them as part of our people. In my family, I was the eyes. I wasn't born with purple eyes, so my mother got rid of me." Riku made a face, and suddenly couldn't meet my gaze anymore. Just as well, I didn't want to see his pity. "That's...that's so stupid!" I snorted, slouching down in my seat. "Yeah, that's what I thought too, when I found out. But hey, it marks me as an outsider, so I'm not really one of them. Grandma wanted to keep me, but she was getting old, so she put me somewhere she thought would be a good fit."

Awkward silences seemed to be our thing. At least we were kind of getting along now. "So, any fun stories from your childhood?" Riku told me a few stories about growing up on the islands, mostly about him and Sora, a few with Kairi. I noticed that they were all harmless stories, and wondered it he was trying to ignore how much things had changed in his life. Was he worried about how his friends would react if they found out he had been the one to plunge their world into darkness. After the silence had stretched for a bit, I mentioned that it seemed like he and Sora were more like brothers then friends. He shrugged "Wouldn't know, I'm an only child. You had a brother and a sister, right?" I nodded "I grew up with my cousin, but she thinks were really sisters. Maybe we are, if that's the only way it matters in. My brother..." I was staring out the window again. "Some other time." "Huh?" He was suddenly inches away from me, staring at my face "Why don't you want to talk about your brother?" I pushed him lightly. "Pay attention to flying!' Once he was grumpily back at the controls again, I answered him. "He died when I was a kid. I only met him like four times. I don't really know how to explain what kind of relationship we had." Truth, truth, lie. But even if we are friends, were not close enough for me to have to share this with him.

"Hey, Riku, how do you keep your hair out of the way when your fighting?" It might have been too abrupt a change in conversation, but the confusion on his face was totally worth it. "Huh?" I motioned towards his hair, then held up my own. It was only a few inches past my shoulders now, instead of brushing my elbows like I was used to. "It seems like you don't really have a problem fighting, but my hair was getting in the way when we fought that giant Kyubey. So, what's the secret? Hair gel? Practice?" "Bangs." He held a piece of his own hair to demonstrate. "Also, your hair is kind of long, maybe you should cut it." I reacted as if he had slapped me. Cut my hair? "Your joking, right?" He shook his head, and I think he was trying not to smile too much at my reaction. "Yeah. Or at least get your bangs short enough that they're out of your eyes. I mean, all your hair is the same length, how have you been keeping it out of your eyes?" "I used to wear glasses."

And, impossibly, now I missed said glasses. It's funny what you miss once it's gone. I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting like the child I appeared to be. "I'm not cutting my hair." He shrugged, beginning the landing of the ship. When did we get to Spira? "You asked for my advise, and I gave it. If you don't want to cut your hair, just put it up or something." "And deal with the mind-numbing headaches? No, thanks." We headed back to the inn at Guadosalam, and thankfully they had a room available. Riku fell asleep almost immediately, but he rolled over a lot in his sleep. He must have been exhausted. Curious, I changed back to my magical girl form. On this world, the outfit really fit in. Maybe I should try to get used to the skirts? Experimentally, I held my staff, and cast cure on Riku's sleeping form. He rolled over, but seemed to be sleeping more peacefully now.

I laid down, trying to sleep, but only stared at the ceiling. When that got boring enough, I stared at the inside of my left wrist, at my soul gem. How long would it be before I had to use first one grief seed, then the other? What would I do once those were gone? Could I just will myself not to despair, and hope that MP and the darkness of my soul gem weren't linked now that we were off world of Mitakihara City? Did magic even work that way?

I finally gave up on sleeping, and left a note for Riku, telling him that I went for a walk and I'd be back later. I got on the ship, and piloted it to the other side of the moonflow. If Riku still wanted to ride a shoopuf in the morning, it would be better if the hip was on the other side, then we wouldn't have to cross twice. I spent the rest of the night walking up and down the moonflow, battling fiends with my new powers. In addition to needing to get better at fighting, I also needed to see if my soul gem darkened from using the magic I was learning as a result of my wish, or if it only darkened when I used powers inherent to magical girls. Lucky for me, six hours later it was only slightly darkened, so the magic I was learning from my wish wasn't linked to my soul gem. Yay~

With each new piece of magic that I learned, I found a new glyph appearing both on the staff, and on my right arm. I wasn't sure why the glyphs were on my right arm, but they were only visible when I cast magic. I quickly learned through experimentation that my soul gem didn't care if the magic was cast from my body or my staff/scythe, but it was nice to know I could use magic without the staff.

I was getting better at fighting now too. I kept my weapon as a staff when I used magic, then stomped it on the ground to release the blade, slashing through enemies with it's scythe as melee. But the hair thing was actually a problem. Maybe there's a reason characters who have long hair, like Rikku and Lulu, or Sephiroth, all have bangs and their hair up. I shuddered at the thought of cutting my hair; growing it out was something I had literally dedicated a decade to. But was it worth getting blinded in the middle of a fight, putting my self and others at risk?

I walked up the south bank of the moonflow, heading for the dock where the mornings first shoopuf was waiting. The sunrise was nice, and there were only a couple of people waiting for the 6am ride. One was an Al Bhed woman. The others were a man with Auron and Jecht standing next to him-oh, fuck. That's Braska, and now I know where I am in this world's time line. Braska was the first to notice me. He sank down on one knee, and patted my head lightly. I felt a faint tingle in the gem on my wrist, and wondered what I had learned from coming in contact with a summoner. "Hello little girl, are you lost?" Little girl? lost? I'm older then his own daughter! "No, sir, I'm meeting my friend in Guadosalam." He seemed surprised by my tone and response, and stood up. He nodded at me once, before turning back to face the Hypello standing near the shoopuf. "Thank you for giving us an early lift. And once again, my sincerest apologies for the incident last night." The Hypello waved him off, the only world I could understand coming out of it's mouth were something about forgiven and summoner.

The accent was much worse then the endearing one you see in the games. Braska spoke to his two guardians, and they began to follow the moonflow south, heading for Ixion. I smoothed my hair back into place, and boarded the shoopuf with the Al Bhed woman. After we were underway, she turned to me. I'm sure she was speaking in Al Bhed, but like with the other worlds I had traveled to, it sounded like English to me. She asked me if I was a summoner. I looked down at my outfit, and realized with the combination of Lenne's and Aqua's outfits, my top didn't do much to dissuade the casual summoner look many seemed to have in this world. I shook my head, wishing I wasn't holding a staff nearly as tall as I was "No, just a mage and a traveler." Her eyebrows rose slightly. I wondered if to her it sounded like I was speaking in Al Bhed? To further convince her, I added "Wouldn't I have guardians if I was a summoner?" She nodded, seeming embarrassed.

As was continued on the way across the moonflow, we made casual small talk, and I became fascinated with her hair. It was long, out of the way, and didn't seem to be giving her a headache. She laughed when I asked her about her hair, and offered to show me a way to keep my hair better behaved, though she warned me that since I had blond hair, even though it was dark, styling it in such a way may lead other to think I was Al Bhed. I shrugged, smiling. "I'm okay with that." We spent the rest of the way across with her binding the section of my hair that would be bangs if it was shorter into the beginning of braids, then putting my hair into something called a butterfly braid, then having me undo it and attempt to do it myself several times. There was a lot of laughter, and once I had done it correctly the first time, she took it down again, and re-did it herself. To my surprise, she also handed me a garment grid as a farewell gift. I placed it on the back of my right leg, and touched one of the nodes. It filled with a clear gray light, and I realized that it had taken on the likeness of my soul gem. I now had a way to transform without using my magical girl powers, leaving me with one less reason to darken my soul gem. I looked up, hope in my face to thank the woman, but she was already gone.

I disembarked, and fought my way back to Guadosalam. The fiends were stronger on this side of the moonflow, but with my hair now out of the way and the practice I had gotten in the night before, it seemed easier now. I managed to get back to the room without waking Riku, and sat on my bed. The slight squeak of the mattress seemed to be enough to wake him up, and he stared at me for a minute, not seeming to recognize me. I grinned, pleased with the effect. "I didn't have to cut my hair." He nodded sleepily, and I stood up, ready to get going. "Ready to ride the shoopuf?" He got ready to leave pretty quickly after that.

Heading back to the moonflow, we practiced fighting enemies together, and Riku asked when I had gotten so much better. I admitted to my nighttime activities, which he was slightly irritated at. What if I hadn't been strong enough to fight the enemies on this world alone? "I'd run." It didn't seem to satisfy him, but hey, I had to learn sometime didn't I? The shoopuf ride seemed to take away the last of his sour mood. He poked me in the shoulder, I was facing backwards watching the land slide away. "Hm?" His face had a look of awe "How did you do the part in the back?" I realized he was talking about his hair, and told him the story of the nice woman I had met that morning. "If you wanted to train, you could have woken me up. Wait, did you sleep at all last night?" No "Yeah, but once I woke up I couldn't sleep again. Besides, now the ship is on this side of the moonflow, so we don't have to go back and forth just to pick it up and leave again." He slumped slightly, looking disappointed. "What, you wanted to ride again?" He crossed his arms, looking away grumpily, and I laughed.

It must have irritated him more then I thought, because he began talking quietly and angrily. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up Emmy." My laughed died in my throat, and I stood up, barely knowing what I was doing "Don't call me that." Riku stood up, just as angry as I was. "Why not? It's your name, isn't it?" My fists clenched, and I thought about hitting him for a moment. "No. It's not." He looked surprised, then suspicious. "I heard the guy in the cloak call you that. Why would he say it if that wasn't your name." Sat back down, suddenly tired. "...it's the nickname my brother used for me when we were little." Riku sat back down after another moment. "I though you only met a couple of times?" I nodded. "Yeah, but we would communicate long distance sometimes." Did Riku know what a phone was? "It's not my name, Riku. Please don't use it. It was something just for the two of us." Riku nodded, suddenly looking embarrassed.

We were almost to the other side now. I offered him my hand, which he looked at, confused. "Truce?" He nodded, and we shook hands.

As we boarded the gummi ship, I headed for the back room with the bunks. "I'm going to nap until we get back." Riku nodded, staring ahead as we started to take off. He seemed more distant now. We might be comrades, but we weren't friends, not really, and I was starting to think we might never be. I hesitated, one hand on the door leading to the rest of the ship. "...Riku?" He looked back, disinterested, and the look in his eyes was totally neutral. Not the way friends look at each other. Suddenly, I wanted to tell him, but I wasn't ready to risk my name. I guess there was more then one reason we weren't friends. "...starts with an 'E'." He looked at me, confused. I grinned slightly. "My name. It starts with an E." He grinned back, and I headed off to sleep, now hoping that maybe we could be friends after all.

* * *

Learned Summon: Shiva

Learned: Fire

Learned: Water

Learned: Ice

Learned: Thunder

Learned: Null

Learned: Combine Magic


End file.
